'/ 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 

GIFT  OF 

H.   R.   Archer 


LIBRARIANS'  CONVENTION 


PROCEEDINGS 

OF  THE 

LIBRARIANS'  CONVENTION 

HELD  IN 

NEW  YORK  CITY 

SEPTEMBER  15,  16,  AND  17 

1853 


REPRINTED  FOR 

WILLIAM  H.  MURRAY 

1915 


THK    TORCH    PRESS 

CEDAR    RAPIDS 

IOWA 


PROCEEDINGS  OF  THE  LIBRA- 
RIANS' CONVENTION 


CALL 

THE  undersigned,  believing  that  the  knowledge  of  Books, 
and  the  foundation  and  management  of  collections  of  them 
for  public  use,  may  be  promoted  by  consultation  and  con- 
cert among  librarians  and  others  interested  in  bibliography, 
respectfully  invite  such  persons  to  meet  IN  CONVENTION  AT 
NEW  YORK,  ON  THURSDAY,  THE  FIFTEENTH  DAY  OF  SEPTEM- 
BER, for  the  purpose  of  conferring  together  upon  the  means 
of  advancing  the  prosperity  and  usefulness  of  public  li- 
braries, and  for  the  suggestion  and  discussion  of  topics  of 
importance  to  book  collectors  and  readers. 

MAY,  1853. 

CHAS.  FOLSOM,  Boston  Athenaeum. 

C.  C.  JEWETT,  Smithsonian  Institution. 

T.  "W.  HARRIS,  Harvard  College. 

PHILIP  J.  FORBES,  Society  Library,  New  York. 

SAMUEL  F.  HAVEN,  American  Antiquarian  Society. 

BARNAS  SEARS,  Massachusetts  State  Library. 

E.  C.  HERRICK,  Yale  College. 

JOSHUA  LEAVITT,  American  Geographical  and  Statistical 
Society. 

EDWARD  E.  HALE,  Worcester,  Massachusetts. 

HENRY  BARNARD,  Hartford,  Connecticut. 

J.  W.  CHAMBERS,  American  Institute. 


53015^ 


6  LIBEAEIANS '  CONVENTION  1853 

WM.  E.  JILLSON,  Providence,  Rhode  Island. 

A.  J.  UPSON,  Hamilton  College. 

JAMES  GREEN,  Baltimore  Mercantile  Library. 
"W.  A.  JONES,  Columbia  College. 

B.  A.  GUILD,  Brown  University. 

G.  H.  MOORE,  New  York  Historical  Society. 

"W.  F.  POOLE,  Boston  Mercantile  Library. 

N.    B.    SHURTLEFP,    American    Academy    of   Arts    and 

Sciences. 

S.  HASTINGS  GRANT,  New  York  Mercantile  Library. 
L.  M.  BOLTWOOD,  Amherst  College. 
WM.  P.  CURTIS,  St.  Louis  Mercantile  Library. 
R.  H.  STEPHENSON,  Cincinnati  Mercantile  Library. 
H.  M.  BAILEY,  Hartford  Young  Men's  Institute. 
GEO.  E.  DAY,  Lane  Seminary. 
LLOYD  P.  SMITH,  Philadelphia  Library  Company. 

PROCEEDINGS 

In  accordance  with  the  foregoing  call,  the  following 
persons  assembled  at  the  rooms  of  the  University  of  the 
City  of  New  York,  on  Thursday,  Friday,  and  Saturday, 
September  15,  16,  and  17,  1853.  It  will  be  seen  that  more 
than  eighty  gentlemen  were  present,  the  representatives  of 
forty-seven  different  libraries.  These  institutions  are  lo- 
cated in  thirteen  different  States,  and  contain  collectively 
over  six  hundred  thousand  volumes. 

DELEGATES 
District  of  Columbia 

Prof.  C.  C.  JEWETT,  Librarian  of  the  Smithsonian  Institu- 
tion, Washington. 

Maine 

JAMES  MERRILL,  Librarian  of  the  Athenaeum,  Portland. 
Prof.  ROSWELL  D.  HITCHCOCK,  Bowdoin  College,  Brunswick. 


LIBKARIANS'  CONVENTION  1853  7 

Massachusetts 

CHARLES  FOLSOM,  Esq.,  Librarian  of  the  Athenaeum,  Boston. 

WM.  F.  POOLE,  Librarian  of  the  Mercantile  Library  Asso- 
ciation, Boston. 

S.  F.  HAVEN,  Librarian  of  the  American  Antiquarian  So- 
ciety, Worcester. 

KEV.  EDW.  E.  HALE,  "Worcester. 

Ehode  Island 

R.  A.  GUILD,  Librarian  of  Brown  University,  Providence. 
THOMAS  HALE  WILLIAMS,   Librarian  of  the  Athenaeum, 

Providence. 

ALBERT  J.  JONES,  Director  of  the  Athenaeum,  Providence. 
CHAS.  W.  JENCKS,  Librarian  of  the  Mechanics'  Library, 

Providence. 
CHAS.    AKERMAN,    Director   of   the   Mechanics'   Library, 

Providence. 
S.  BALLOU,  Carrington  Library,  Rhode  Island. 

Connecticut 

Hon.  HENRY  BARNARD,  Superintendent  of  Common  Schools, 

Hartford. 
HENRY  M.  BAILEY,  Librarian  of  the  Young  Men's  Institute, 

Hartford. 
DANIEL  C.  GILMAN,  Delegate  from  the  Linonian  Library 

of  Yale  College,  New  Haven. 
Rev.  JAS.  T.  DICKINSON,  Durham. 

New  York  City  and  State 

PHILIP  J.  FORBES,  Esq.,  Librarian  of  the  New  York  So- 
ciety Library,  New  York. 

GEO.  H.  MOORE,  Librarian  of  the  New  York  Historical  So- 
ciety, New  York. 

Prof.  HENRY  B.  SMITH,  D.  D.,  Librarian  of  the  Union 
Theological  Seminary,  New  York. 


8  LIBEAEIANS '  CONVENTION  1853 

J.  L.  LYONS,  Assistant  Librarian  of  the  Union  Theological 
Seminary,  New  York. 

WM.  CURTIS  NOTES,  Esq.,  Librarian  of  the  New  York  Law 
Institute,  New  York. 

WM.  A.  JONES,  Librarian  of  Columbia  College,  New  York. 

JOHN  L.  VANDERVOORT,  M.  D.,  Librarian  of  the  New  York 
Hospital,  New  York. 

Prof.  HOWARD  CROSBY,  Librarian  of  the  University  of  the 
City  of  New  York. 

JAMES  HENRY,  Jr.,  Actuary  of  the  Mechanics'  Institute, 
New  York. 

WM.  OLAND  BOURNE,  Assistant  Librarian  of  the  Free  Acad- 
emy, New  York. 

E.  A.  HARRIS,  Librarian  of  the  American  Institute,  New 
York. 

S.  HASTINGS  GRANT,  Librarian  of  the  Mercantile  Library, 
New  York. 

WM  VAN  NORDLIN,  Representative  of  the  Apprentices'  Li- 
brary, New  York. 

HENRY  GITTERMAN,  Assistant  Librarian  of  the  Hebrew 
Young  Men's  Literary  Association,  New  York. 

J.  DISTURNELL,  Member  of  the  American  Geographical  and 
Statistical  Society,  New  York. 

Rev.  ISAAC  FERRIS,  D.  D.,  Chancellor  of  the  University  of 
the  City  of  New  York. 

Rev.  THOMAS  DE  WITT,  D.  D.,  Vice  President  of  the  New 
York  Historical  Society,  New  York. 

DANIEL  W.  FISKE,  Assistant  Librarian  of  the  Astor  Library, 
New  York. 

MAUNSELL  B.  FIELD,  Esq.,  Recording  Secretary  of  the  New 
York  Historical  Society,  New  York. 

EDWIN  WILLIAMS,  of  the  Library  Committee  of  the  Amer- 
ican Institute,  New  York. 


LIBBARIANS'  CONVENTION  1853  9 

Rev.  GORHAM  D.  ABBOTT,  Principal  of  the  Spingler  Insti- 
tute, New  York. 

Prof.  BENJ.  N.  MARTIN,  University  of  the  City  of  New 
York. 

Prof.  JOHN  TORREY,  of  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Sur- 
geons, New  York. 

Rev.  SAMUEL  OSGOOD,  Delegate  from  the  Providence  Athen- 
aeum. 

WM.  C.  GILMAN,  Esq.,  New  York. 

Prof.  GEORGE  "W.  GREENE,  New  York. 

Rev.  E.  H.  CHAPIN,  New  York. 

JOHN  BANVARD,  New  York. 

CHARLES  B.  NORTON,  Literary  Gazette,  New  York. 

AUG.  MAVERICK,  New  York  Times. 

J.  W.  KENNADY,  New  York  Express. 

J.  S.  THAYER,  Evening  Post,  New  York. 

JOHN  J.  SCHROEDER,  New  York. 

EDWIN  H.  GRANT,  M.  D.,  New  York. 

S.  S.  PURPLE,  M.  D.,  New  York. 

Mr.  PERRY,  of  the  Astor  Library,  New  York. 

ROBERT  DODGE,  New  York. 

AUG.  K.  GARDNER,  M.  D.,  New  York. 

THOMAS  J.  SAWYER,  New  York. 

JOSEPH  F.  NOYES,  Librarian  of  the  Athenaeum,  Brooklyn. 

GEO.  H.  STEBBINS,  Principal  of  Public  Schools,  Brooklyn. 

HAROLD  HINDE,  Brooklyn. 

Capt.  HENRY  COPPEE,  Librarian  of  the  U.  S.  Military  Acad- 
emy, "West  Point. 

Prof.  A.  J.  UPSON,  Librarian  of  Hamilton  College,  Clinton. 

H.  P.  FILER,  Librarian  of  the  Young  Men's  Association, 
Troy. 

W.  T.  WILLARD,  Librarian  of  the  Lyceum  of  Natural  His- 
tory, Troy. 


10         LIBBAEIANS '  CONVENTION  1853 

ELIAS  S.  HAWLEY,  Representative  of  the  Young  Men's  As- 
sociation, Buffalo. 
*   C.  H.  RAYMOND,  Buffalo. 

New  Jersey 

Prof.  G.  M.  GIGER,  Librarian  of  the  College  of  New  Jersey. 
Princeton. 

Prof.  W.  HENRY  GREEN,  Librarian  of  the  Theological  Sem- 
inary, Princeton. 

F.  W.  RICORD,  Librarian  of  the  Newark  Library  Associa- 
tion, Newark. 

Rev.  C.  R.  V.  ROMONDT,  Librarian  of  Rutgers  College,  New 
Brunswick. 

S.  G.  DEETH,  New  Brunswick  and  Washington,  D.  C. 

WM.  COOPER,  Hoboken. 

Pennsylvania 

LLOYD  P.  SMITH,  Librarian  of  the  Library  Company,  Phil- 
adelphia. 

JOHN  WM.  WALLACE,  Librarian  of  the  Law  Association, 
Philadelphia. 

Maryland 

JAMES  GREEN,  Librarian  of  the  Mercantile  Library  Associa- 
tion, Baltimore. 

A.  C.  RHODES,  Vice  President  of  the  Mercantile  Library 
Association,  Baltimore. 

Ohio 

ELIJAH  HAYWARD,  Librarian  of  the  State  Library,  Colum- 
bus. 

R.  H.  STEPHENSON,  Librarian  of  the  Mercantile  Library 
Association,  Cincinnati. 

Missouri 

W.  P.  CURTIS,  Librarian  of  the  Mercantile  Library  Asso- 
ciation, St.  Louis. 
FREDERICK  VINTON,  St.  Louis. 


LIBBARIANS'  CONVENTION  1853         11 

Louisiana 

JOHN  L.  SHEAFE,  Librarian  of  the  State  Library  of  Louis- 
iana, New  Orleans. 
B.  F.  FRENCH,  Representative  of  the  Fisk  Free  Library, 

New  Orleans. 

California 

EDWARD  E.  DUNBAR,  Delegate  from  the  Mercantile  Library 
Association,  San  Francisco. 

Apologies  were  also  presented  from  the  following  gen- 
tlemen, unable  to  be  present: 

Dr.  Cogswell,  of  the  Astor  Library;  Prof.  Beck,  of  the 
New  York  State  Library;  Dr.  Harris,  of  Harvard  College 
Libary ;  E.  C.  Herrick,  Esq.,  of  Yale  College  Library ;  Dr. 
Sears,  of  the  Massachusetts  State  Library;  George  Liver- 
more,  Esq.,  of  Boston;  Prof.  Johnson,  of  the  New  York 
State  Agricultural  Society;  Rev.  Adolph  Frost,  of  the 
Burlington  (N.  J.)  College  Library,  and  Wm.  MacDermott, 
of  Norristown  Library,  Pennsylvania. 

OFFICERS 

The  Convention  was  called  to  order  by  Charles  Folsom, 
Esq.,  of  the  Boston  Athenaeum,  and,  upon  motion,  the  fol- 
lowing persons  were  chosen  officers: 

President  —  Prof.  CHAS.  C.  JEWETT,  Smithsonian  Insti- 
tution, Washington,  D.  C. 

Secretary  —  S.  HASTINGS  GRANT,  Mercantile  Library  As- 
sociation, New  York  City. 

Business  Committee  —  CHARLES  FOLSOM,  Athenaeum,  Bos- 
ton ;  PHILIP  J.  FORBES,  Society  Library,  New  York ;  J.  W. 
WALLACE,  Law  Association,  Philadelphia;  R.  A.  GUILD, 
Brown  University,  Providence;  R.  H.  STEPHENSON,  Mer- 
cantile Library  Association,  Cincinnati ;  with  the  President 
and  Secretary  of  the  Convention. 


12         LIBBAEIANS '  CONVENTION  1853 

OPENING    ADDRESS    OF    THE   PRESIDENT 

Prof.  JEWETT,  upon  taking  the  chair,  acknowledged  the 
honor  conferred  upon  him,  and  proceeded  to  remark  as 
follows : 

It  must  be  highly  gratifying  to  those  who  signed  the  call  for  this 
Convention  to  notice  the  response  which  it,  this  morning,  receives.  To 
every  one  who  knows  the  nature  of  a  librarian's  duties, —  the  details 
which  consume  his  days,  and  render  absence  from  his  post  impossible, 
except  at  the  cost  of  severe  labor  on  his  return, —  it  must  be  manifest 
that  we  have  met  at  considerable  personal  sacrifice.  We  obey  some 
strong  and  wide-felt  impulse  in  incurring  the  expense  and  the  trouble 
of  this  gathering. 

The  call  for  this  Convention  was  not  the  result  of  a  correspondence 
among  librarians,  nor  was  it  the  subject  of  long  and  careful  consider- 
ation. It  was,  rather,  a  spontaneous  movement.  It  was  first,  I  think, 
suggested  a  year  ago,  or  more,  in  the  Literary  Gazette.  Librarians 
spoke  to  each  other  on  the  matter,  when  they  happened  to  meet. 
Every  one  was  pleased  with  the  idea.  At  length  a  formal  call  was 
written,  and  signed  by  a  few  who  happened  to  meet  the  gentlemen 
having  charge  of  the  paper. 

In  compliance  with  such  an  invitation,  we  have  assembled  this 
morning.  It  is  not,  so  far  as  I  know,  proposed  to  accomplish  any  end 
by  this  Convention,  beyond  the  general  one  expressed  in  the  call,  of 
"conferring  together  upon  the  means  of  advancing  the  prosperity 
and  usefulness  of  public  libraries,"  and  of  seeking  mutual  instruction 
and  encouragement  in  the  discharge  of  the  quiet  and  unostentatious 
labors  of  our  vocation  for  which  each,  at  his  separate  post,  finds  per- 
haps but  little  sympathy  —  for  which  each,  when  at  home,  must  derive 
enthusiasm  only  from  within  himself,  and  from  the  silent  masters  of 
his  daily  communion. 

We  have  no  peculiar  views  to  present,  no  particular  set  of  measures 
to  propose.  We  meet  without  preparation.  No  order  of  business  has 
been  arranged.  Our  proceedings  must  be  spontaneous  as  our  meeting. 
It  is  not  important  that  they  be  systematic  and  formal.  We  come  to 
receive  and -to  act  upon  suggestions.  We  are  not  here  for  stately  de- 
bate, for  conspicuous  action,  much  less  for  an  exhibition  of  ourselves. 
These  things  are  foreign  from  our  vocation,  and  not  congenial  with 
our  tastes.  We  meet  for  familiar,  informal,  conversational  conference, 
where  each  may  take  his  part,  and  no  one  be  prevented  from  contrib- 


LIBEAEIANS'  CONVENTION  1853         13 

uting  his  share  to  the  profits  of  the  enterprise,  by  his  inexperience  in 
public  speaking,  or  his  inability  to  make  elaborate  preparation.  Those 
gentlemen  connected  with  the  public  press  who  honor  us  with  their 
presence,  must  have  been  attracted  hither  by  a  scholarlike  sympathy 
with  our  quiet  pursuits,  which  lead  them  to  appreciate  our  feelings 
in  this  respect,  in  the  reports  which  they  may  give. 

It  is  indeed  to  be  hoped  that  our  meeting  will  have  its  influence 
upon  the  public  mind.  If  our  discussions  are  natural  and  unrestrained, 
suggested  and  shaped  by  right  views  of  the  position  which  we  hold,  or 
ought  to  hold,  in  general  society  and  in  the  republic  of  letters;  if  they 
present  to  ourselves  and  to  others  the  difficulties  with  which  we  have 
to  contend;  if  they  elicit  thought  and  information  upon  the  collecting 
of  books  for  private  culture,  for  public  enlightenment,  and  for  learned 
investigations,  and  upon  the  best  means  of  promoting  the  increase  and 
efficiency  of  such  collections ;  —  if  we  manifest  here,  while  we  talk  of 
books  as  material  objects,  and  of  books  in  their  internal  significance, 
that  respectful,  dignified,  and  noiseless  spirit  inspired  by  the  associa- 
tions in  the  midst  of  which  we  live,  the  public  will  certainly  feel  and 
acknowledge  the  beneficial  influence  of  our  meeting,  and  will  desire 
an  official  report  of  the  progress  and  results  of  our  deliberations. 

The  occasion  is  one  of  peculiar  interest.  This  is  the  first  conven- 
tion of  the  kind,  not  only  in  this  country,  but,  so  far  as  I  know,  in  the 
world. 

There  have,  indeed,  been  bibliographical  associations,  but  they  have 
been,  for  the  most  part,  composed  of  dilettante,  and  not  of  practical 
librarians  and  lovers  of  books.  The  gratification  of  a  passion  for 
rare  and  curious  books  has  generally  been  their  object.  Books  were 
too  often  valuable  to  them,  only  as  they  were  worthless  to  the  rest 
of  the  world.  Each  member  glorying  in  the  possession  of  a  unique 
copy  of  some  old  work,  was  required  to  reprint  it,  with  only  copies 
enough  to  give  one  to  each  member.  One  society  has  played  the  part 
of  bibliotaph  by  requiring  that  if  a  member  dies,  and  his  copy  of  one 
of  these  reprints  is  to  be  sold  by  auction,  it  shall  be  bought  by  the 
Society  at  any  price  it  may  be  necessary  to  pay. 

These  associations  have  had  their  origin  in  a  different  state  of 
society  from  ours.  We  can  at  present  have  but  little  sympathy  with 
their  principal  design.  We  have  none  whatever  with  their  selfishness. 

We  would  not  be  supposed  to  chide  the  passion  for  book  rarities, 
where  it  exhibits  itself  simply  in  collecting  and  preserving  what  is 
curious  and  costly,  and  not  in  its  destruction  or  concealment.  Why 


14         LIBEABIANS '  CONVENTION  1853 

should  not  a  rich  man  spend  his  money  in  this  way,  as  well  as  in  a 
thousand  others  which  are  harmless?  We  may  go  further,  and  assert 
that  a  collection  of  rare  books  can  scarcely  be  formed,  without  sub- 
serving the  interests  of  learning,  whether  made  with  such  a  design  or 
not.  The  public  are  not  unfrequently  surprised  by  results  anticipated 
only  by  the  collector. 

I  may  allude,  in  this  connection,  to  a  distinguished  gentleman  in 
our  own  country,  who  made,  at  great  expense,  a  collection  of  early- 
printed  books,  without  any  regard  to  the  subjects  of  which  they 
treated,  the  languages  in  which  they  were  written,  or  their  worth  as 
literary  productions.  By  those  who  did  not  know  his  purpose,  he  was 
called  a  bibliomaniac.  He  had  however,  a  definite  object  in  view, 
which  was,  to  investigate  the  early  history  of  typography  by  its  monu- 
ments. Books  which  he  never  cared  to  read,  were  full  of  instruction 
to  him.  He  deduced  from  the  close  examination  of  them,  many  facts 
new  to  the  bibliographical  world,  and  showed  the  unsoundness  of 
many  generally  received  theories.  For  example,  he  satisfied  himself 
that  books  in  the  early  days  of  typography,  were  never  printed  from 
block  letters,  that  is,  from  separate  types  of  wood,  or  of  wood  faced 
with  metal.  He  proved,  too,  that  many  of  these  books  were  printed 
one  page  at  a  time.  It  had  been  supposed  that  the  early  printers 
must  have  had  immense  fonts  of  type.  In  many  folios  the  sheets  are 
quired,  and  it  was  very  naturally  supposed  that  the  type  of  every 
page  of  the  quire  must  have  been  set  up  before  any  was  printed  off. 
But  he  traced  a  broken  letter  from  page  to  page,  and  he  found  such 
irregularities  of  register  as  could  not  have  occurred,  had  the  two 
pages  of  the  same  form  been  printed  at  the  same  time;  and  he  thus 
demonstrated  that  these  books  were  printed  page  by  page,  and  that 
consequently  only  a  very  small  font  of  type  was  necessary. 

Now,  these  are  new,  interesting,  and  valuable  results;  and  they  are 
only  specimens  which  occur  to  me  at  the  moment,  of  deductions  from 
the  examination  of  books,  which  an  ordinary  observer  would  say  it 
was  infatuation  to  collect. 

But  our  object,  at  present,  is  of  a  more  manifestly  and  eminently 
practical  and  utilitarian  character.  We  meet  to  provide  for  the  dif- 
fusion of  a  knowledge  of  good  books,  and  for  enlarging  the  means  of 
public  access  to  them.  Our  wishes  are  for  the  public,  not  for  our- 
selves. 

In  our  assembling  to-day  we  obey  the  impulses  of  our  peculiar  civili- 
zation. We  are  pre-eminently  a  reading  people.  In  Prussia  the  whole 


LIBRARIANS'  CONVENTION  1853         15 

population  are  taught  to  read;  but  a  distinguished  citizen  of  that 
country,  who  had  traveled  in  the  United  States,  once  expressed  to  me 
the  difference  between  his  own  countrymen  and  the  Americans,  by 
saying :  ' '  Our  people  can  read,  your  people  do  read. ' '  The  general- 
ly diffused  love  of  reading,  for  the  sake  of  gaining  information,  has 
led  to  the  establishment  of  a  large  number  of  libraries,  so  that,  in  the 
number  and  general  diffusion  of  small  collections  of  books,  we  are 
richer  already  than  any  other  country  in  the  world.  Beading  creates 
the  desire  to  read  more,  and  select  reading  increases  the  desire  to  read 
profitably.  Hence,  in  every  village  the  questions  are  asked:  "How 
shall  we  get  good  books?  How  shall  we  keep  them?  How  shall  we 
use  them?"  To  consult  on  the  best  replies  to  questions  like  these, 
is  one  of  the  objects  of  our  assembling  to-day. 

Another  demand  of  our  peculiar  civilization  is,  for  the  means  of 
thorough  and  independent  investigation.  We  wish  to  own  no  men 
as  masters.  We  intend  to  re-examine  all  history  from  our  own  Amer- 
ican standpoint,  and  we  must  re-write  it,  where  we  find  its  facts  have 
been  tortured  to  teach  the  doctrines  of  injustice  and  oppression.  The 
mental  activity  of  this  country  is  surveying  every  field  of  research, 
literary,  scientific,  aesthetic,  industrial,  and  philanthropic.  It  requires 
to  know  what  others  have  done  and  thought,  that  it  may  itself  press 
farther  outward.  This  country,  therefore,  demands  the  means  of  the 
amplest  research,  and  this  demand  must  and  will  be  met. 

These  views  have  impressed  themselves  deeply  upon  our  minds,  as 
we  are  the  appointed  custodians  of  the  literary  treasures  of  the  coun- 
try, and  have  led  us  to  desire  mutual  assistance  and  concentration  of 
efforts  in  providing  for  these  intellectual  necessities  of  our  American 
life.  For  our  present  meeting  it  has  been  proposed  to  adopt  the 
simplest  form  of  organization;  to  appoint,  besides  a  president  and  a 
secretary,  a  business  committee  to  receive  suggestions  and  proposi- 
tions, and  arrange  the  order  of  proceedings  for  each  day's  session. 
I  unite  most  cordially  in  the  hope  which  I  have  heard  expressed  this 
morning,  that  this  Convention  may  be  the  precursor  of  a  permanent 
and  highly  useful  association. 

COURTESIES 

Invitations  were  received  and  accepted  to  visit  the  follow- 
ing libraries:  Astor,  Society,  Historical,  Union,  Theologi- 
cal, Columbia  College,  Mercantile,  American  Institute,  Me- 


16         LIBRARIANS '  CONVENTION  1853 

chanics'  Institute,  and  Free  Academy;  also  from  the  direc- 
tors of  the  Crystal  Palace,  through  T.  Sedgwick,  Esq.,  to 
visit  the  Exhibition  of  Industry;  from  Mr.  Bryan,  to  the 
Gallery  of  Christian  Art ;  from  Dr.  Abbott,  to  the  Museum 
of  Egyptian  Antiquities;  and  from  Mr.  Banvard,  to  his 
Panorama  of  the  Holy  Land. 

An  invitation  to  a  social  gathering  at  the  Kemble  House 
was  also  presented  by  members  of  the  Convention  from  the 
city  of  New  York. 

REPORTS    FROM    LIBRARIES 

Early  in  the  Convention,  reports  were  presented  by  the 
different  librarians  present,  in  regard  to  the  condition  of 
the  institutions  in  their  charge.  These  returns  have  been 
incorporated,  in  an  afterpart  of  this  Register,  with  recent 
information  received  from  other  libraries. 

Among  other  remarks,  the  following  were  made  by  Capt. 
Coppee,  in  regard  to  the  Library  of  the  United  States  Mili- 
tary Academy,  at  West  Point. 
Mr.  President  and  Gentlemen  of  the  Convention: 

The  Institution  which  I  have  the  honor  to  represent  is  certainly 
peculiar  and  unique  —  both  sui  juris  and  sui  generis  —  in  that  it  is 
under  the  control  of  the  general  government,  and  that  its  special 
character  is  military  and  scientific. 

You  have  read  the  ' ' Medecin  malgre  lui;"  I  may  truly  say  that 
when  I  was  appointed  Librarian  of  the  Military  Academy,  I  was  a 
librarian  in  spite  of  myself.  The  little  service  I  had  seen,  and  the  par- 
tial fondness  for  certain  kinds  of  reading,  had  given  me  no  knowledge 
of  the  great  progressive  science  of  bibliography,  a  science  nobler  in 
its  results  than  simple  authorship,  in  that  it  classifies  and  makes 
available  at  one  intelligent  glance,  masses  of  matter,  rich  specimens 
of  mental  ore,  which  otherwise  would  lie  hidden  and  useless  to  the 
world. 

What,  however,  was  received  with  reluctance,  has  been  retained  with 
pleasure,  and  pursued  with  such  ardor  as  the  pressure  of  other  duties 
would  permit. 


LIBBABIANS'  CONVENTION  1853         17 

The  library  of  the  Military  Academy  is  sustained  and  increased  by 
an  appropriation  of  $1,000  a  year,  which  I  regret  to  be  obliged  to  say, 
ia  found  insufficient  to  keep  pace  with  the  valuable  publications  in  our 
special  branches.  Some  years,  owing  to  a  spirit  of  retrenchment  in 
Congress,  this  inadequate  sum  has  been  intermitted,  and  then,  in  mili- 
tary phrase  we  ' '  mark  time ' '  for  a  year,  which  is,  in  effect,  retrograd- 
ing to  an  alarming  degree.  "Not  to  advance,"  says  a  good  maxim, 
' '  is  to  fall  back : ' '  the  individual  student  and  the  public  library  alike 
verify  its  truth. 

When  the  appointment  of  Librarian  was  conferred  upon  me,  I  found 
that,  with  a  rigor  at  once  ill-judged  and  ill-productive,  almost  all  light 
literature, —  poetry,  fiction  and  some  of  those  charming  modern  works, 
which,  verily,  can  only  be  characterized  as  lying  between  the  two, —  a 
delectable  land  of  the  heart  and  the  imaginations, —  had  been  inter- 
dicted. Since  that  time,  careful  additions  of  standard  works  of  these 
classes  have  been  made;  we  ventured,  sir,  upon  a  set  of  the  Waverly 
Novels,  and  introduced  the  Corps  of  Cadets  to  the  Great  Magician  — 
need  I  add,  with  perfect  satisfaction  to  all  concerned. 

I  have  one  word  to  add  in  favor  of  a  popular  direction  to  our  pro- 
ceedings. It  is  in  accordance  with  the  pervading  spirit  of  our  govern- 
ment. The  people,  sir,  are  the  rule;  everything  else,  the  exception. 

Let  our  deliberations,  then,  not  lose  sight  of  this  fact.  Bare  books 
cost  great  prices,  and  are  read  afterwards  by  few, —  the  scholars,  the 
great  book-makers  for  future  generations  —  and  these  should  not  be 
ngelected;  but,  first  remember,  that  good  current  learning  and  knowl- 
edge, facts  and  practical  science  for  the  million  are  within  the  reach 
of  small  sums,  the  assessment  of  which  will  scarcely  be  felt  by  the 
poorest,  and  the  aggregate  of  which  will  astonish  the  people  by  its 
greatness,  and  enlighten  the  world  by  its  influence. 

THE  SMITHSONIAN  INSTITUTION  AND  ITS  PLAN  OP  CATALOGING 

Mr.  Haven,  of  Worcester,  having  been  called  to  the  Chair, 
an  exposition  was  made  in  regard  to  the  Smithsonian  In- 
stitution at  Washington,  by  Prof.  Charles  G.  Jewett. 

He  first  presented  the  following  table,  which  exhibits  the 
number  of  books  and  other  articles  added  to  the  library 
of  the  Smithsonian  Institution  during  the  year  1852,  with 
the  sources  from  which  they  were  received: 


18         LIBRARIANS'  CONVENTION  1853 


00 

bi) 

m             ^ 

So 

.2 

HI 

I 

OD 

"o              S 

•«•» 

9 

m 
P< 
• 

'35 

3 

P 
2 

§ 

B 

i 

•3 

i 

PQ             Pi 

PH 

1 

S 

3 

p 

•5 

P 

THr    Pnr/.Vinafl                   R4.1           Q1  8       1  5fi8                                                                        .      319.7 

By  Donations 1481  1935   171  10  1698  —  41  5336 

By  Copyright 476    96    26  15    10   692   9  19  1343 


Totals 2598  2949  1765  25  1708   692   9  60  9806 

The  extent  of  the  various  collections  in  the  library,  at  the 
end  of  1852,  is  shown  by  the  following  table : 


•  FH  S  —              -                             — 

§  s  i  i  i  i  i  si  i 

pq  PLI^H  s^P  ^H 

By  Purchase. 3873  957  1568  1335     2  —  7735 

By  Donations.  2657  3872   171    58  1725  30  41  8554 

By  Copyright  2304  213    26    24  51  1826  9  86  4539 

Bv  DGDOsit   873  — —  . ^ r     ^___  ___  .   873 


Totals 9707  5042  1765  1417  1778  1826  39   127  21701 

In  answer  to  various  inquiries,  Prof.  Jewett  also  stated 
in  this  connection,  that  the  average  number  of  books  an- 
nually received  under  the  copyright  law  was  about  450. 
He  presumed  that  this  was  not  more  than  one-third  of  all 
the  books  copyrighted  in  the  country.  The  laws  regulat- 
ing the  deposit  were  defective.  One  copy  is  required  to  be 
deposited  with  the  District  Clerk  and  by  him  to  be  trans- 
mitted to  the  Department  of  State  at  Washington;  one 
copy  is  also  required  to  be  deposited  in  the  Library  of  Con- 
gress, and  one  in  the  Library  of  the  Smithsonian  Institu- 
tion. A  larger  number  of  these  books  is  probably  received 
at  the  Smithsonian  Institution  than  in  either  of  the  other 
libraries.  The  deposit  in  the  State  Department  is  regard- 
ed as  burdensome,  and  the  President,  in  a  recent  message, 


LIBEARIANS'  CONVENTION  1853         19 

recommended  that  the  copyright  business  be  transferred 
from  the  Department.  There  ought  to  be  somewhere  a 
complete  collection  of  these  books,  as  there  is  of  models  of 
machines  in  the  Patent  Office.  The  protection  of  authors 
and  publishers  requires  that  certified  copies  of  their  publi- 
cations should  be  preserved.  The  public  have  also  a  great 
interest  in  providing  that  one  copy  of  everything  issued 
from  the  press  should  be  preserved  for  future  reference. 
It  was  hoped  that  some  modifications  of  the  present  laws 
might  be  made,  which  would  secure  both  these  ends  and 
at  the  same  time  diminish  the  present  requirements  from 
publishers.  No  provision  was  made  by  law  for  transmitting 
these  books  to  the  places  of  deposit.  Consequently  many 
of  those  deposited  with  the  District  Clerks  never  reach  the 
State  Department.  Some  of  those  sent  to  the  Smithsonian 
Institution,  cost  twenty  times  what  they  are  worth,  being 
sent,  by  mail,  sealed,  by  publishers  who  suppose  that  the 
Institution  possesses  the  franking  privilege. 

Prof.  JEWETT  then  proceeded  as  follows: 

It  is  well  known  to  you,  Mr.  Chairman,  and  to  other  gentlemen  pre- 
sent, that  previous  to  the  passage  of  the  act  of  Congress  establishing 
the  Smithsonian  Institution,  various  propositions  were  from  time  to 
time  made  to  Congress,  for  the  appropriation  of  the  fund  bequeathed 
to  the  United  States  by  James  Smithson,  "to  found  at  Washington 
an  establishment  for  the  increase  and  diffusion  of  knowledge  among 
men."  One  project  was  to  establish  an  astronomical  observatory, 
another  to  form  an  agricultural  school,  another  to  found  a  National 
University,  another  to  place  the  money  under  the  charge  of  the 
National  Institute,  &c.,  &c.  No  one  of  the  many  plans  suggested 
met  the  approval  of  Congress,  until  Mr.  Choate  proposed,  and  in  one 
of  his  most  brilliant  and  effective  speeches  advocated,  the  establish- 
ment of  a  great  central  library  of  reference  and  research.  His  bill 
met  with  general  approval  and  passed  the  Senate,  but  was  lost  among 
other  unfinished  business  in  the  lower  House.  At  the  next  session  of 
Congress,  a  select  committee  was  appointed  by  the  House  of  Eepre- 
sentatives,  upon  the  administration  of  the  Smithsonian  trust.  The 
members  of  this  committee  were  divided  in  opinion.  They  finally 


20         LIBRARIANS '  CONVENTION  1853 

reported  a  bill,  in  which  the  Library  was  a  subordinate  but  still  an 
important  feature.  When  this  bill  came  up  for  discussion,  Mr. 
Choate's  plan  was  vigorously  attacked  by  one  of  the  leading  members 
of  the  committee;  but  it  found  powerful  advocates.  Mr.  Marsh  de- 
fended the  library  in  a  speech  of  great  learning,  ability  and  elo- 
quence. So  strongly  did  the  House  approve  of  Mr.  Marsh's  views, 
that  when  he  introduced  a  series  of  amendments,  designed,  as  he  ex- 
pressly stated,  "to  direct  the  appropriation  entirely  to  the  purpose 
of  a  library,"  everything  which  he  proposed  was  adopted.  Congress 
refused  to  limit  the  annual  appropriation  for  the  Library  to  10,000, 
or  even  to  20,000  dollars.  By  fixing  the  maximum  of  the  annual 
appropriation  at  $25,000,  a  sum  nearly  equal  to  the  whole  income 
of  the  fund,  Congress  unequivocally  indicated  its  intentions,  had  they 
not  been  sufficiently  clear  by  other  votes. 

The  principal  management  of  the  Institution  was  intrusted  to  a 
Board  of  Regents,  composed  of  three  Senators,  three  Representatives, 
six  citizens  of  the  States,  appointed  by  joint  resolution,  and  three 
members  ex-officio,  namely,  the  Vice  President  of  the  United  States, 
the  Chief  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court,  and  the  Mayor  of  the  City 
of  Washington.  It  was  soon  found  that  there  were  two  prominent 
parties  in  the  Board  —  not  hostile  parties,  for  there  is  nothing  hostile 
in  such  matters,  but  parties  of  different  views  in  reference  to  the 
objects  to  be  pursued  by  the  Institution.  One  party  was  in  favor 
of  adhering  to  the  library  plan,  stamped  as  it  was  with  the  approval 
of  Congress;  the  other  was  in  favor  of  expending  the  income  in 
publications  and  scientific  researches.  After  considerable  discussion, 
it  was  agreed  to  divide  the  income  of  the  Institution  permanently 
between  the  two  great  departments:  that  of  collections  in  literature, 
science  and  art,  and  that  of  publications  and  scientific  researches. 

This  plan  was  followed  for  a  time,  but  at  present  a  large  propor- 
tion of  the  fund  is  appropriated  to  other  purposes  than  those  of  the 
Library.  During  the  last  year  only  about  1,000  dollars  were  ex- 
pended in  the  purchase  of  books,  and  during  the  present  year  a  still 
smaller  sum  will  be  thus  devoted.  It  has  seemed  to  me  my  duty  to 
state  to  you  these  facts,  in  order  that  you  might  understand  the 
precise  position  of  the  Smithsonian  Library,  the  ground  of  the  ex- 
pectations which  had  been  raised  respecting  it,  and  the  reasons  why 
they  had  not  been  realised.  I  am  happy  to  add  to  the  statement 
which  I  have  made,  tha't  whatever  may  have  been  the  feeling  with 
reference  to  the  purchase  of  books,  the  ' '  active  operations ' '  of  the 


LIBRARIANS'  CONVENTION  1853         21 

library  department  —  the  collection  and  publication  of  statistics  of 
libraries,  the  increase  and  dissemination  of  bibliographical  knowledge, 
the  development  and  support  of  the  catalogue  system,  &c.,  have  met 
with  cordial  approval  and  support.  This  must  be  gratifying  to  those 
who  hear  me.  I  doubt  not  that  whatever  may  be  the  policy  of  the 
Institution  with  reference  to  its  own  collections,  it  will  do  all  that 
its  means  will  allow  for  the  benefit  of  other  libraries. 

For  myself  I  have  always  believed  and  still  believe,  that  a  large 
central  library  of  reference  and  research  will  be  collected  at  the 
Smithsonian  Institution,  if  not  by  the  erpenditure  of  the  funds  of  the 
Institution,  by  other  means.  The  funds  of  the  Institution  are  very 
small,  in  comparison  with  the  necessities  of  literature  and  science  in 
this  country,  and  when  we  are  obliged  to  choose  among  worthy  ob- 
jects, there  will  be  sure  to  be  different  opinions.  I  feel,  however, 
that  the  formation  of  the  library  is  a  matter  sure  to  be  accomplished 
—  if  not  immediately,  yet  before  many  years.  A  great  central  li- 
brary is  an  important  national  object;  as  necessary,  to  secure  the 
literary  independence  of  this  people,  as  was  the  war  of  the  Revolu- 
tion to  secure  its  political  independence.  It  is  an  object  which,  be- 
sides attracting  donations  and  bequests  from  the  rich,  may  receive 
appropriations  from  our  national  treasury.  Congress,  having  the  con- 
trol of  the  treasury  of  this  rich,  mighty,  and  intelligent  nation,  will 
not,  I  believe,  be  backward  in  making  appropriations  for  this  ob- 
ject, whenever  it  shall  be  suitably  presented  to  them.  Congress  may 
be  regarded  as  liberal  in  matters  of  science  and  of  learning,  when- 
ever they  are  sure  that  the  money  will  be  honestly  and  properly 
expended.  Many  men  do  not  believe  this.  But  look  at  the  action 
for  replenishing  the  desolated  hall  of  the  Library  of  Congress.  Most 
persons  were  of  opinion  that  Congress  could  not  be  brought  to  make 
an  appropriation  exceeding  $30,000  for  this  purpose;  but,  when  Mr. 
Chandler  proposed  $75,000,  it  was  readily  granted.  It  would  have 
been  had  he  asked  $200,000,  if  they  had  thought  that  sum  necessary, 
and  believed  that  it  would  be  honestly  and  judiciously  devoted  to  the 
gathering  of  a  good  library. 

There  is  one  other  remark  I  wish  to  make  respecting  the  position  of 
the  Smithsonian  Institution  among  the  other  literary  Institutions  of 
the  country.  So  far  as  I  know,  it  possesses  claims,  desires,  no  au- 
thority or  power  of  dictation.  The  principle  has  been  established 
and  steadily  pursued,  of  occupying,  as  far  as  possible,  untenanted 
ground.  The  position  of  the  Institution  at  Washington,  its  connec- 


22         LIBEAEIANS '  CONVENTION  1853 

tion  with  the  government,  and  its  large  fund,  devoted  by  its  donor 
and  by  the  act  of  Congress  to  the  promotion  of  the  cause  of  know- 
ledge, give  to  it  the  means  of  doing  much  which  could  not  otherwise 
be  accomplished  for  literature  and  science.  In  these  efforts  it  needs 
and  relies  on  the  cordial  support  of  other  institutions,  which,  I  am 
happy  to  say,  it  has  always  received.  Whenever  it  is  found  that  any 
other  society  or  any  individual  is  ready  and  able  to  take  up  and  carry 
out  its  plans,  they  are  immediately  relinquished  by  us.  I  may  here 
give  one  instance,  that  of  Mr.  Norton's  Literary  Gazette.  Mr.  Nor- 
ton had  formed  the  plan  of  publishing  the  Gazette,  without  knowing 
that  a  similar  project  had  been  recommended  by  myself  for  the  bib- 
liographical department  of  the  Smithsonian  Bulletin.  He  proposed 
to  give  the  bibliographical  intelligence  in  connection  with  adver- 
tisements, which  he  thought  would  eventually  be  profitable  to  him. 
When  he  saw  what  I  had  written,  he  came  on  to  Washington,  and 
offered  to  abandon  his  plan.  But  we  were  glad  to  find  that  he  was 
willing  to  undertake  to  accomplish  the  same  purpose  which  we  had 
in  view,  and  gave  up  the  whole  to  him,  offering  him  such  assistance 
as  we  could  render,  and  encouraging  him  to  believe  that  the  enter- 
prise would  prove  a  profitable  one.  I  am  happy  to  know  that  this 
expectation  has  been  fully  justified;  and  I  hope  that  the  prosperity  of 
this  useful  journal  will  continually  increase. 

In  reference  to  these  remarks,  Mr.  HAYWAED,  of  Ohio, 
presented  the  following  resolution,  which  was  Adopted 
unanimously : 

Resolved,  That  the  thanks  of  this  Convention  be  presented  to  the 
Board  of  Eegents  and  Officers  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  for 
their  steady  and  effective  efforts  for  the  increase  and  diffusion  of 
knowledge  among  men,  and  particularly  for  the  measures  which  they 
have  adopted  for  the  encouragement  and  promotion  of  the  public 
libraries  of  our  country;  and  we  have  great  pleasure  in  looking  to 
that  institution  as  the  central  establishment  of  the  United  States  for 
the  furtherance  of  all  such  objects. 

THE   SMITHSONIAN  CATALOGUE  SYSTEM 

Prof.  JEWETT  then  proceeded  to  remark: 
The  catalogue  system  of  which  I  intend  to  speak,  is  one  of  those 
enterprises  which  could  not  have  been  carried  into  operation  except 


LIBBAKIANS'  CONVENTION  1853         23 

under  the  protection  and  guidance  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution; 
nor  can  it  be  successful,  unless  it  meets  the  hearty  approval  and  co- 
operation of  other  libraries.  I  wish,  therefore,  to  present  the  matter 
fully  and  explicitly  to  this  Convention. 

Few  persons,  except  librarians,  are  aware  of  the  nature  and  extent 
of  the  difficulties  which  have  been  encountered  in  attempting  to 
furnish  suitable  printed  catalogues  of  large  and  growing  libraries; 
difficulties  apparently  insurmountable,  and  menacing  a  common  aban- 
donment of  the  hope  of  affording  guides,  so  important,  to  the  literary 
accumulation  of  the  larger  libraries  of  Europe. 

While  the  catalogue  of  a  large  library  is  passing  through  the  press, 
new  books  are  received,  the  titles  of  which  it  is  impossible,  in  the 
ordinary  manner  of  printing,  to  incorporate  with  the  body  of  the 
work.  Eecourse  must  then  be  had  to  a  supplement.  In  no  other  way 
can  the  acquisitions  of  the  library  be  made  known  to  the  public.  If 
the  number  of  supplements  be  multiplied,  as  they  have  been  in  the 
library  of  Congress,  the  student  may  be  obliged  to  grope  his  weary 
way  through  ten  catalogues,  instead  of  one,  in  order  to  ascertain 
whether  the  book  which  he  seeks  be  in  the  library.  He  cannot  be 
certain,  even  then,  that  the  book  is  not  in  the  collection,  for  it  may 
have  been  received  since  the  last  appendix  was  printed.  Supple- 
ments soon  become  intolerable.  The  whole  catalogue  must  then  be 
re-arranged  and  re-printed.  The  expense  of  this  process  may  be 
borne  so  long  as  the  library  is  small,  but  it  soon  becomes  burdensome, 
and,  ere  long,  insupportable,  even  to  national  establishments. 

There  is  but  one  course  left  —  not  to  print  at  all.  To  this  no 
scholar  consents,  except  from  necessity.  But  to  this  alternative, 
grievous  as  it  is,  nearly  all  the  large  libraries  of  Europe  have  been 
reluctantly  driven. 

More  than  a  century  has  passed,  since  the  printing  of  the  catalogue 
of  the  Eoyal  Library  at  Paris  was  commenced.  It  is  not  yet  finished. 
No  one  feels  in  it  the  interest  which  he  would,  if  he  could  hope  to 
have  its  completeness  sustained,  when  once  brought  up  to  a  given 
date. 

Not  one  European  library,  of  the  first  class,  has  a  complete  printed 
catalogue,  in  a  single  work.  The  Bodleian  Library  is  not  an  excep- 
tion. It  may  be  necessary  to  search  six  distinct  catalogues,  in  order 
to  ascertain  whether  any  specified  book  was  or  was  not  in  that  col- 
lection, at  the  close  of  the  year  1847. 

This  is,  surely,  a  disheartening  state  of  things.     It  has  been  felt 


24         LIBRARIANS '  CONVENTION  1853 

and  lamented  by  every  one  who  has  had  the  care  of  an  increasing 
library. 

As  a  remedy  for  this  evil,  it  is  proposed  to  stereotype  the  titles 
separately,  and  to  preserve  the  plates  or  blocks  in  alphabetical  order 
of  the  titles,  so  as  to  be  able  readily  to  insert  additional  titles,  in 
their  proper  places,  and  then  to  reprint  the  whole  'catalogue.  By 
these  means,  the  chief  cost  of  republication  (that  of  composition) 
together  with  the  trouble  of  revision  and  correction  of  the  press, 
would,  except  for  new  titles,  be  avoided.  Some  of  the  great  diffi- 
culties which  have  so  long  oppressed  and  discouraged  librarians,  and 
involved  libraries  in  enormous  expenses,  may  thus  be  overcome. 

The  peculiar  position  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution  suggested  the 
application  of  this  plan,  on  a  wider  scale,  and  for  a  more  important 
purpose,  than  that  of  merely  facilitating  the  publication  of  new  and 
complete  editions  of  separate  catalogues. 

It  had  been  proposed  to  form  a  general  catalogue  of  all  the  books 
in  the  country,  with  reference  to  the  libraries  where  each  might  be 
found.  The  plan  of  stereotyping  titles  separately,  suggested  the  fol- 
lowing system  for  the  accomplishment  of  this  important  purpose: 

1.  The  Smithsonian  Institution  to  publish  rules  for  the  preparation 
of  Catalogues. 

2.  Other   institutions,    intending   to    publish    catalogues    of    their 
books,  to   be  requested   to   prepare   them   in   accordance  with   these 
rules,  with  a  view  to  their  being  stereotyped  under  the  direction  of 
the  Smithsonian  Institution. 

3.  The  Smithsonian  Institution  to  pay  the  whole  extra  expense  of 
stereotyping,  or  such  part  thereof  as  may  be  agreed  upon. 

4.  The  stereotyped  titles  to  remain  the  property  of  the  Smith- 
sonian Institution. 

5.  Every  library  acceding  to  this  plan,  to  have  the  right  of  using 
all  the  titles  in  the  possession  of  the  Institution,  as  often  as  desired, 
for  the  printing  of  its  own  catalogue  by  the  Smithsonian  Institution, 
paying  only  the  expense  of  making  up  the  pages,  of  press-work,  and 
of  distributing  the  titles  to  their  proper  places. 

6.  The  Smithsonian  Institution  to  publish  as  soon  as  possible,  and 
at  stated  intervals,  a  General  Catalogue  of  all  Libraries  coming  into 
this  system. 

I  have  already  presented  to  members  of  the  Convention  copies  of  an 
unfinished  work  entitled  the  "Smithsonian  Catalogue  System."  It 
contains:  1.  A  detailed  account  of  the  system;  2.  Rules  for  the 


LIBRARIANS'  CONVENTION  1853         25 

preparation  of  Catalogues;  3.  Examples  illustrating  the  rules.  As  to 
the  first  two  matters,  the  work  is  complete.  It  was  intended  to  print 
as  examples  the  titles  of  all  the  works,  in  the  department  of  bibli- 
ography and  literary  history,  in  the  Smithsonian  Library.  These 
titles,  to  the  number  of  one  thousand,  are  stereotyped  and  ready  for 
use.  The  progress  of  the  work  was  interrupted  by  the  sickness  and 
absence  of  two  of  the  men  on  whom  we  relied.  I  have  been  able  to 
print  off  a  few  copies,  by  using  the  type  for  the  last  form  of  the 
rules  instead  of  the  stereotype  plates  as  in  the  rest  of  the  book,  by 
limiting  the  number  of  examples  and  omitting  the  indexes.  I  hope 
in  a  few  weeks  to  be  able  to  finish  this  book,  and  to  present  it 
through  the  Smithsonian  Institution  to  the  public,  as  the  first  detailed 
publication  of  the  system.  About  three  years  ago  I  read  a  paper  on 
the  subject  before  the  American  Scientific  Association.  I  did  not 
present  the  matter  before  the  public,  till  the  practicability  of  stereo- 
typing by  separate  titles  had  been  demonstrated.  Practical  stereo- 
typers  had  said  that  it  could  not  be  done.  But  the  perseverance  and 
ingenuity  of  a  gentleman  now  present,  the  Eev.  Mr.  Hale,  of  Wor- 
cester, showed  that  it  could  be  done  by  the  electrotype  process,  and 
even  by  the  common  stereotype  process.  This  point  once  proved,  we 
sought  the  best  method  of  executing  the  work.  About  this  time,  Mr. 
Josiah  Warren,  of  Indiana,  called  our  attention  to  the  new  process 
and  material  for  stereotyping  which  he  had  patented.  We  gave  them 
a  thorough  trial,  and  at  last  adopted  them.  We  have  done  much  to 
perfect  the  process,  and  we  are  now  ready  to  show  to  experts  in  prac- 
tical printing  the  results  which  we  have  attained.  The  perfecting 
of  this  mode  of  stereotyping,  the  adaptation  of  it  to  our  purposes, 
and  the  arrangement  of  the  practical  details  for  the  great  work  upon 
which  we  are  commencing,  have  consumed  much  time  and  demanded 
great  labor.  The  mechanical  difficulties  which  we  have  had  to  meet 
and  overcome  will  be  appreciated  by  printers  and  stereotypers.  The 
bibliographical  difficulties  will  be  fully  understood  by  librarians.  As 
soon  as  the  practicability  of  the  system  bad  been  established,  as 
fully  as  it  could  possibly  be,  before  its  actual  application  on  a  large 
scale,  and  the  value  of  it  to  the  world  of  learning  had  been  considered 
and  proclaimed  by  a  commission  of  the  most  competent  men  to  whom 
the  subject  was  referred  by  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  the  matter 
was  presented  to  the  Joint  Library  Committee  of  Congress.  They 
considered  it  fully,  and  in  the  most  liberal  spirit,  and  finally  recom- 
mended to  Congress  an  appropriation  for  the  cataloguing  of  its  li- 


26         LIBBAKIANS '  CONVENTION  1853 

brary  upon  this  plan.  This  appropriation  was  readily  granted.  It  is 
sufficient  to  enable  us  to  prosecute  the  work  till  next  December  or 
January.  It  is  not  enough  to  finish  the  catalogue,  but  it  is  all  that 
was  asked  for.  We  wish  to  proceed  cautiously  —  demonstrating,  step 
by  step,  the  practicability  and  usefulness  of  our  operations.  The 
work  on  the  catalogue  of  the  Library  of  Congress  is  now  in  progress. 
The  system  is  therefore  in  actual  operation. 

The  title  of  every  book  and  of  each  distinct  edition  is  stereotyped 
upon  a  separate  plate.  The  author's  name  also  stands  by  itself. 
Each  plate  shows  at  a  glance  the  heading  to  which  it  belongs.  It  is 
obvious  that  these  plates  may  be  placed  together  in  alphabetical  or 
other  order,  as  may  be  desired.  They  are  mounted  on  blocks,  for 
printing  like  other  stereotype  plates.  The  great  ends  to  be  gained  are : 

1.  To  avoid  the  necessity  of  preparing,  composing,  and  correcting 
anew  the  titles  once  printed,  when  the  Library  has  received  accessions, 
or  the  alternative  of  printing  the  titles  of  these  accessions  in  supple- 
ments, which  are  very  inconvenient  appendages. 

2.  To  prevent  the  repetition  of  the  work  of  preparation  of  titles, 
composition  and  correction  of  press,  for  copies  of  the  same  book  in 
different  libraries.     The  title  once  prepared  and  stereotyped,  remains 
at  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  to  be  used  by  any  Library  having  the 
same  book. 

3.  To  secure  uniformity  in  the  construction  of  catalogues,  thus 
greatly  facilitating  the  researches  of  the  student. 

It  is  obvious  that  the  cost  of  the  first  catalogue  will  be  greater  than 
if  it  were  not  stereotyped.  The  work  of  preparation  will  also  be 
more  expensive.  But  the  additional  cost  of  the  first  edition  will  be 
more  than  saved  in  the  first  reprinting  of  the  whole  catalogue.  It 
will  be  further  understood  that  the  sum  paid  by  the  first  Library  is 
not  only  for  its  own  benefit,  but  for  that  of  every  other  Library 
hereafter  adopting  the  plan,  so  far  aa  its  books  are  the  same.  Con- 
gress is  therefore  now  conferring  a  great  boon  upon  other  Libraries, 
while  at  the  same  time  it  is  taking  the  course,  in  the  end  most  econom- 
ical, for  the  construction  of  the  catalogues  of  its  own  library.  There 
will  also  be  a  great  saving  of  the  expense  of  paper  and  press-work 
under  this  system.  It  is  customary  now  to  print  off  a  larger  number 
of  copies  of  every  catalogue  than  are  immediately  wanted,  because  it 
cannot  be  known  how  many  may  be  required  before  the  catalogue  can 
be  reprinted.  On  this  plan,  when  a  new  edition,  with  all  additions 


LIBBAEIANS'  CONVENTION  1853         27 

incorporated,  can  be  had  at  any  time,  it  will  not  be  thought  necessary 
to  print  more  copies  than  enough  to  meet  the  immediate  demand. 

It  should  be  mentioned  as  one  of  the  most  important  advantages  of 
this  system,  that  it  affords  the  means  of  attaining  great  accuracy  in  the 
catalogues.  Every  effort  will  be  made  to  secure  accuracy  in  the  first 
instance.  Librarians  will  not,  however,  be  surprised  to  find  numer- 
ous errors.  This  system  offers  the  best  means  of  detecting  and  cor- 
recting these  errors.  Every  time  that  a  title  is  used  for  a  new  cata- 
logue, it  must  be  very  carefully  compared  with  the  book  itself.  Every 
mistake  and  variation  will  be  reported  in  a  friendly  spirit,  and  im- 
mediately corrected.  The  catalogue  will  thus  be  constantly  under- 
going a  process  of  verification  and  improvement. 

Upon  all  these  topics  I  have  dwelt  more  fully  and  systematically  in 
the  pamphlet  to  which  I  have  alluded.  It  may  not  be  amiss  for  me 
to  notice  one  or  two  objections  which  may  occur  to  the  minds  of  prac- 
tical printers  against  the  use  of  these  stereotype  plates.  One  is,  that 
the  plates,  being  used  so  often,  will  become  worn,  and  that  when  new 
plates  are  inserted,  the  difference  between  the  new  and  old  plates  will 
be  observable  on  the  printed  sheets. 

To  this  objection  I  can  say  in  reply:  First,  the  number  of  copies 
required  for  each  catalogue  would  be  so  small  that  it  would  be  many 
years  before  there  would  be  any  noticeable  difference  between  the  old 
and  new  plates,  were  they  made  from  common  type  metal.  But,  sec- 
ondly, the  material  which  we  employ  is  harder  than  type  metal,  and 
resists  much  longer  the  wear  of  the  press.  I  presume  that  a  run  of 
100,000  copies  would  not  make  any  observable  difference  between  the 
old  plates  and  the  new. 

Another  difficulty  which  may  suggest  itself  to  some,  is  in  keeping 
the  register  and  preserving  the  uniform  length  of  pages.  The 
register,  so  far  as  the  top  and  sides  of  the  page  are  concerned,  can 
be  kept  most  perfectly.  Variations  in  the  length  of  the  pages  cannot 
be  entirely  avoided.  But  if  some  pages  be  longer  or  shorter  by  three 
or  four  lines,  it  is  not  a  very  serious  matter.  It  may  offend  a  print- 
er's  eye,  but  would  not  be  noticed  by  the  general  reader.  I  may 
remark,  however,  that  there  are  several  ways  of  reducing  the  in- 
equalities. Very  long  titles  may  be  stereotyped  in  two  or  three  pieces. 
The  titles  on  a  short  page  may  be  spread  apart,  making  the  matter  a 
little  more  open  and  thus  elongating  the  page.  The  catalogue  may 
be  printed  in  dpuble-column  folio.  This  size  is  preferable  for  a 


28         LIBEAEIANS '  CONVENTION  1853 

catalogue  on  other  accounts.     It  presents  more  titles  to  the  eye  at 
once,  and  it  also  saves  paper. 

I  would  not  be  understood  as  insisting  upon  the  catalogue  being  in 
folio,  nor,  indeed,  upon  its  being  alphabetical.  These  are  matters 
not  essential  to  the  system.  Each  librarian  can  choose  for  himself; 
the  system  possessing  this  great  advantage,  that  it  is  equally  ap- 
plicable to  the  folio,  quarto,  or  octavo  size;  to  alphabetical  and  to 
classed  catalogues. 

There  is  one  other  point  which  may  be  noticed.  This  kind  of  cata- 
logue is  not  recommended  for  all  purposes  for  which  a  catalogue  or 
list  of  books  may  be  desirable.  It  is  proposed  as  the  standard  cata- 
logue for  reference  in  every  library  containing  works  of  permanent 
value.  It  is  proposed  as  the  basis  for  all  other  apparatus,  such  as 
indexes,  shelf -lists,  "finding  catalogues,"  or  short  title  catalogues, 
which  it  may  be  thought  that  the  peculiar  circumstances  of  any  li- 
brary or  every  library  require.  From  this  catalogue  all  others  may 
easily  be  made.  This  is  supposed  to  be,  in  general,  the  first  and  most 
important  of  all  the  means  for  rendering  a  library  serviceable  to  all 
classes  of  persons  who  may  consult  it. 

With  respect  to  the  rules  for  preparing  catalogues,  it  may  be 
proper  to  make  a  few  explanatory  remarks.  They  were  formed  after  a 
careful  study  of  those  adopted  for  the  preparation  of  the  catalogue 
of  the  British  Museum.  They  were  examined  and  discussed  in  detail 
by  the  catalogue  commission  appointed  by  the  Smithsonian  Institu- 
tion. They  have  been  carefully  revised  to  meet  exigencies  which 
have  occurred  in  the  practical  application  of  them.  That  they  are 
perfect  and  all-sufficient,  is  not,  indeed,  to  be  supposed.  On  many 
points  there  would  be  a  difference  of  opinion.  An  effort  has  been 
earnestly  and  honestly  made  to  frame  the  best  possible  code.  But 
whether  it  be  absolutely  the  best  or  not,  the  great  desideratum  of 
uniformity  will  be  attained  by  the  adoption  of  it. 

The  practical  operation  of  the  rules  has  been  considered,  no  less 
than  the  theoretical  perfection  of  the  catalogue.  It  is  necessary  to 
frame  such  rules  as  we  may  reasonably  expect  to  be  able  to  follow. 
I  would  gladly  have  required  that  the  number  of  pages  of  every  book 
(distinguishing  those  of  prefatory  a.nd  appended  matter)  and  the 
names  of  publishers  should  in  all  cases  be  given.  But  these  would 
require  much  additional  time  and  labor,  and  would  considerably  in- 
crease the  bulk  of  the  catalogue.  It  was  thought  best,  therefore,  to 
omit  them.  We  must  endeavor  to  make  the  catalogue  accurate  so  far 


LIBRARIANS'  CONVENTION  1853         29 

as  it  goes.  The  examination  of  the  book  should  be  thorough.  Addi- 
tional particulars  may  hereafter  be  added  in  the  form  of  notes,  with- 
out disturbing  the  work  first  done. 

The  work  upon  which  we  have  entered  is  not  the  work  of  a  day,  nor 
of  a  year.  It  demands  long-continued,  patient  labor.  Should  it  be 
successful,  as  we  have  every  reason  to  hope  that  it  will  be,  its  best  re- 
sults will  be  realized  after  we  have  ceased  from  our  labors.  But  its 
immediate  results  will  amply  reward  our  efforts.  Some  of  them  are 
now  almost  attained.  The  catalogue  of  the  Library  of  Congress  will, 
it  is  hoped,  be  a  valuable  gift  to  the  bibliographical  world.  To  the 
list  now  nearly  ready  for  publication,  of  the  books  in  the  department 
of  bibliography  and  literary  history,  belonging  to  the  Smithsonian 
Library,  it  will  be  easy  to  add  those  in  other  libraries  not  already 
catalogued.  We  can  then  present  to  librarians  a  complete  catalogue 
of  the  bibliographical  apparatus  to  be  found  in  the  country.  Cata- 
logues of  books  in  other  branches  of  knowledge  are  now  in  prepara- 
tion. As  we  thus  proceed  from  library  to  library,  and  from  one  de- 
partment of  learning  to  another,  each  work  will  be  complete  and  use- 
ful in  itself,  while  it  constitutes  a  finished  portion  of  the  general 
catalogue. 

At  the  conclusion  of  these  remarks,  Mr.  Folsom  presented 
the  following  resolutions: 

Resolved,  That  we  have  considered  attentively  the  plan  for  con- 
structing catalogues  of  libraries,  and  a  general  catalogue  of  the  pub- 
lic libraries  of  the  United  States,  by  means  of  stereotyped  titles,  pro- 
posed and  developed  by  the  Smithsonian  Institution.  That  we  regard 
it  as  an  object  of  high  importance  to  the  interests  of  our  public 
libraries,  and  to  the  promotion  of  learning,  and  worthy  to  share  in  the 
funds  of  the  institution,  and  the  zealous  exertions  of  its  officers;  the 
more  so  as  it  is  an  enterprise  which  cannot  be  successfully  prosecuted 
except  under  the  protection,  guidance  and  pecuniary  support  of  this 
central  establishment,  for  the  increase  and  diffusion  of  knowledge. 

Eesolved,  That  we  have  learned  with  pleasure  that  Congress,  on  the 
recommendation  of  the  Library  Committee,  made  an  appropriation  for 
the  practical  testing  of  the  plan  in  its  application  to  the  Library  of 
Congress,  and  that  the  work  is  now  in  successful  progress. 

Eesolved,  That,  as  practical  librarians  and  bibliographers,  we  take 
pride  and  satisfaction  in  the  fact  that  a  measure  of  so  great  literary 
utility  has  received  the  prompt  and  efficient  support  of  our  national 


30         LIBRARIANS '  CONVENTION  1853 

legislature,  and  we  would  express  the  earnest  hope  that  this  support 
be  extended  to  it  liberally  till  its  first  great  results,  in  the  complete 
stereotyped  catalogue  of  the  Library  of  Congress,  shall  be  attained. 

Mr.  SMITH,  of  Philadelphia,  said  he  had  investigated 
Prof.  Jewett's  plan  with  considerable  interest,  and  could 
heartily  favor  the  resolutions.  He  thought  the  catalogue 
of  the  British  Museum  even  might  be  completed,  and  there- 
by the  scholars  of  the  world  be  greatly  benefited,  by  follow- 
ing this  system.  He  thought  the  result  of  this  experiment 
would  be  one  grand  catalogue  of  all  the  libraries  of  the 
United  States. 

Mr.  HAVEN,  of  Worcester,  said  he  thought  the  resolutions 
should  contain  some  intimation  that  the  idea  was  purely 
American  in  its  inception  and  perfection. 

Mr.  FOLSOM  said  the  intent  of  the  resolutions  was  to 
stamp  it  as  American. 

The  propriety  of  stating  more  clearly  the  fact,  that  the 
invention  of  separate  stereotyped  titles  was  purely  Ameri- 
can, was  advocated  by  Mr.  Haven,  Prof.  Greene,  and  others. 

Prof.  JEWETT  said  that  within  the  last  few  months  he 
had  heard  that  a  claim  for  this  invention  had  been  set  up 
in  France,  by  the  Chevalier  de  La  Garde,  an  employee  of 
the  National  Library.  After  the  speech  he  [Mr.  J.]  de- 
livered before  the  American  Scientific  Association,  M.  de  la 
Garde  published  a  letter  in  the  Moniteur,  in  which  he  stat- 
ed that  he  had  formed  a  similar  plan  eighteen  years  prev- 
ious, that  he  had  published  an  account  of  it  in  1845,  and 
that  he  had  endeavored  to  secure  its  adoption.  The  plan 
of  the  Chevalier  de  la  Garde  differed  in  many  respects  from 
his  own,  but  still  it  contained  the  idea  of  separate  stereo- 
type titles.  Mr.  J.  stated  still  further,  that  this  claim 
was  entirely  unknown  to  him  until  long  after  he  had  fully 
matured  and  had  proposed  his  own  system.  He  had  never 
heard  of  such  a  proposition  from  any  source,  till  after  he 


LIBRARIANS'  CONVENTION  1853         31 

had  suggested  it.  He  certainly  hoped  that  full  justice 
would  be  done  to  any  earlier  efforts  than  his  own  which 
may  have  been  made  in  this  direction. 

Mr.  HAVEN  remarked,  that  in  every  great  discovery  there 
was  always  found  a  number  of  men  who  laid  claim  to  be 
the  originators,  but  it  was  universally  admitted  that  he  who 
carried  a  discovery  to  its  successful  application  was  the  one 
entitled  to  the  credit  as  inventor. 

Mr.  FOLSOM  said  that  the  idea  had  struck  him  thirty 
years  ago,  and  therefore  he  had  a  better  claim  than  the 
French  gentleman.  Neither  claim  amounted  to  anything. 
The  idea  had  produced  nothing  practical  and  useful.  He 
would  say,  however,  that  though  he  had  had  the  idea,  when 
Prof.  Jewett  mentioned  it  to  him  he  said  that  its  practical 
development  was  "  impossible. " 

Mr.  GUILD,  of  Providence,  said  he  had  at  first  entertained 
serious  doubts  as  to  the  practicability  of  the  system.  Those 
doubts  were  now  entirely  removed,  and  he  hoped  the  time 
would  soon  come  when  every  library  in  the  land  would 
have  its  catalogue  made  out  by  means  of  separate  stereo- 
typed titles. 

The  first  resolution  was  then  amended  as  follows : 
Resolved,  That  we  have  considered  attentively  the  plan  for  con- 
structing catalogues  of  libraries,  and  a  general  catalogue  of  the  public 
libraries  of  the  United  States,  by  means  of  separate  stereotyped  titles, 
originated  and  proposed  ~by  Prof.  C.  C.  Jewett,  and  developed  by  him 
while  librarian  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  etc. 

The  three  resolutions,  as  thus  amended,  were  then  unan- 
imously adopted. 

Mr.  VINTON,  of  St.  Louis,  then  presented  the  following: 

Eesolved,  That  a  Committee  of  three  be  appointed  by  this  Conven- 
tion, to  prepare  a  history  of  the  invention  of  applying  movable  stereo- 
type plates  to  the  printing  of  separate  titles  in  a  catalogue ;  and  that 
their  report  be  embodied  in  a  writen  memorial,  to  be  presented  at  the 


32         LIBRARIANS '  CONVENTION  1853 

next  annual  session  of  this  Convention,  in  order  that  it  may  be  printed 
at  the  expense  of  the  Convention. 

The  resolution  was  carried  unanimously  —  and  Mr.  Fol- 
som,  of  Boston,  Mr.  Guild,  of  Providence,  and  Rev.  Mr. 
Hale,  of  Worcester,  were  appointed  that  Committee. 

CENTRAL  NATIONAL  LIBRARY 

Mr.  FOLSOM  offered  the  following  resolutions,  which 
were  adopted  unanimously: 

Besolved,  That  the  establishment  of  a  great  central  library  for  ref- 
erence and  research,  while  it  is  demanded  by  the  condition  of  the 
United  States  as  to  general  civilization  and  intellectual  advancement, 
is  especially  interesting  to  this  Convention  from  the  bearing  it  would 
have  upon  libraries  throughout  the  country. 

Besolved,  That  we  deem  such  an  establishment  as  being  eminently 
worthy  of  support  from  the  national  treasury,  and  that  in  no  way 
can  the  government  better  promote  the  progress  of  learning  through 
the  whole  country,  than  by  placing  a  central  national  library  under 
the  administration  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution. 

POPULAR   LIBRARIES 

The  importance  of  popular  libraries  in  every  part  of  our 
country,  was  introduced  by  Rev.  S.  Osgood,  of  New  York, 
in  the  following  remarks: 

I  suppose,  Mr.  President,  that  no  business  is  at  present  formally  be- 
fore the  Convention,  and  that  it  is  in  order  now  for  any  member  to 
suggest  topics  of  interest  for  the  consideration  of  the  Commitee  just 
chosen.  I  hardly  feel  entitled  to  speak  at  this  early  stage  of  the 
proceedings,  yet  there  may  be  something  in  my  position,  as  a  delegate 
and  not  a  librarian,  which  will  allow  me  to  speak  of  your  valuable 
profession,  as  one  of  yourselves,  which  you,  with  your  characteristic 
professional  modesty,  could  not  do.  When  I  first  saw  the  call  for 
this  Convntion  in  the  newspapers,  the  idea  struck  me  as  a  capital  one, 
especially  from  its  probable  influence  upon  the  public  spirit  of  the 
country,  as  well  as  upon  the  fellow-feeling  of  librarians  as  a  pro- 
fessional class.  I  little  expected,  however,  to  take  any  part  in  your 
proceedings,  until  being  surprised  by  an  appointment  from  the  Provi- 


LIBRARIANS '  CONVENTION  1853         33 

dence  Athenaeum  to  represent  its  interest  here,  and  thus  renew  with 
that  noble  institution  a  relation  so  much  valued  years  ago.  It  is 
proper,  therefore,  for  me  to  make  some  suggestions  touching  the 
welfare  of  our  popular  class  of  libraries,  as  repesenting  an  institution 
so  pominent  among  them,  and  already  numbering  nearly  twenty  thou- 
sand volumes  of  the  choicest  books  within  its  possession. 

May  I  not,  however,  say  a  word  of  congratulation  at  the  appear- 
ance of  things  thus  far  in  your  assembly.  It  is  good  to  be  here  with 
so  large  a  class  of  men,  so  useful  and  laborious  in  one  of  the  most 
important  callings  on  earth  —  the  keepers  and  the  choosers  of  the 
aliment  that  nurtures  the  mental  life  of  the  nation.  Every  man  is 
better  for  honoring  his  vocation,  and  I  hope  that  it  will  be  one  of  the 
results  of  your  deliberations  to  make  you  think  more  highly  of  your 
work,  and  to  bring  to  its  labors  a  more  cordial  esprit  du  corps.  The 
profession  to  which  I  belong  owes  an  especial  debt  of  gratitude  to 
yours,  so  dependent  are  we,  in  all  our  more  advanced  states,  upon  the 
treasures  of  which  you  are  the  custodians.  I  surely  never  felt  more 
disposed  to  acknowledge  the  obligation  than  now,  when  addressing  a 
chair  occupied  by  one  who  has  done  such  eminent  service  to  the  library 
cause  in  this  country.  Some  ten  years  since  how  we  rejoiced  in  your 
return  to  the  city  of  Providence,  from  your  European  tour,  backed  by 
a  force  of  some  ten  thousand  volumes  of  the  choicest  ancient  and  mod- 
ern literature,  to  double  the  library  of  Brown  University,  and  to 
multiply  the  resources  of  my  earnest  scholars,  more  abounding  in 
the  spirit  than  in  the  apparatus  of  liberal  study.  Much  is  said  of 
the  power  of  foreign  immigration,  and  often  the  most  startling  statis- 
tics disclose  the  new  elements  of  hope  and  peril  that  are  landed  every 
year  upon  our  shores.  Such  immigration  as  you  have  promoted  is  all 
hopeful,  and  in  nothing  perilous.  A  blessing  upon  such  arrivals  of 
thousands  of  authors  embodied  in  their  books,  and  not  a  single  shabby 
fellow  among  them  all.  What  a  great  subject  this  matter  of  selecting 
and  diffusing  of  books  opens  upon  us!  How  much  light  would  be 
thrown  upon  the  inner  life  of  the  nation,  if  we  could  only  trace  the 
influence  of  good  books  as  they  make  their  noiseless  progress  through- 
out the  land,  spreading  so  much  light,  quickening  so  much  energy, 
checking  so  much,  and  beguiling  so  much  pain  and  sorrow!  Honor 
to  this  movement  that  aims  to  help  on  the  good  cause.  Too  many 
bad  books  make  their  stealthy  advances,  that  need  to  be  tracked  to 
their  dens,  even  as  the  pestilence  that  walketh  in  darkness  needs  to 
be  hunted  to  its  hiding-place.  Honor  to  every  man  who  circulates 


34         LIBEAEIANS '  CONVENTION  1853 

two  good  books  where  only  one  circulated  before.  Kemember  Milton 's 
noble  words: — "As  good  almost  kill  a  man  as  kill  a  good  book:  who 
kills  a  man,  kills  a  reasonable  creature  —  God's  image;  but  he  who 
destroys  a  good  book,  kills  reason  itself,  kills  the  image  of  God  as  it 
were  in  the  eye." 

I  should  be  very  glad  at  the  fitting  time  to  say  my  poor  word  in 
behalf  of  the  highest  class  of  public  libraries,  and  of  the  need  of 
bringing  them  up  to  a  more  adequate  standard.  Proud  as  we  are 
of  our  four  or  five  great  libraries,  there  is  not  one  of  them,  not  even 
that  of  Harvard  University,  my  own  cherished  Alma  Mater,  that 
affords  the  requisite  means  for  the  thorough  study  of  any  one  topic 
of  recondite  learning,  even,  if  of  practical  science.  Any  scholar 
who  tries  to  investigate  any  ancient  or  historical  subject  will  find,  to 
his  regret,  that  no  library  in  the  country  has  a  plummet  that  can 
sound  its  depths.  What  facilities  the  noble  Astor  Library  may  af- 
ford, we  can  judge  better  when  its  merits  are  known  and  its  treasures 
are  consolidated. 

There  is  no  reason  for  being  down-hearted  at  this  state  of  things, 
for  we  cannot  expect  soon  to  rival  the  great  libraries  of  Europe,  and 
our  present  task  is  rather  with  the  increase  and  improvement  of 
libraries  for  the  people,  than  with  great  central  institutions  such  as 
the  wealth  of  centuries  only  can  endow.  As  the  mass  of  the  people 
obtain  a  higher  culture  by  means  at  hand  in  every  town  and  city, 
the  demand  for  the  highest  class  of  books  will  increase,  and  the 
hope  of  national  collections  will  brighten.  Now,  what  shall  prevent 
our  America  from  leading  all  nations  of  the  earth  longo  intervallo  in 
the  number  and  value  of  our  Popular  Institutes  and  Athenaeums?  We 
are  probably  not  much  behind,  if  at  all  behind,  any  portion  of  Europe 
in  the  number  of  books  collected  in  our  villages,  and  available  to  the 
community  at  large.  But  not  a  tithe  of  the  progress  has  been  made 
that  should  have  been  made.  What  prevents  every  community  of  a 
thousand  inhabitants  from  having  its  well-chosen  library  of  a  thou- 
sand volumes?  And  if  this  ratio  were  to  be  carried  out  in  all  our 
towns,  how  vast  would  be  the  increase  and  how  noble  the  triumph 
of  a  sound  popular  literature!  May  not  this  Convention  do  some- 
thing, by  its  discussions  and  action,  to  call  attention  to  this  matter, 
and  rouse  many  a  slumbering  township  to  its  imperative  duty? 
Who  shall  presume  to  estimate  adequately  the  advantages  coming 
from  the  establishment  of  a  good  library  in  a  community  not  before 


LIBRARIANS '  CONVENTION  1853         35 

so  favored?  The  immediate  vicinity  and  the  whole  nation  share  in 
the  benefit. 

Many  a  thriving  town  needs  some  such  centre  of  generous  and  elevat- 
ing interest  as  an  attractive  library  must  be,  and  it  should  be  consid- 
ered but  half  civilized  until  such  a  centre  is  established.  It  should  be 
one  of  the  first  things  to  be  pointed  out  to  the  traveler  in  new  regions. 
When  in  distant  places,  we  yearn  for  some  familiar  objects,  and  we 
feel  at  once  at  home  when  we  hear  the  pleasant  church  bells,  and  see 
the  goodly  company  of  stout  men,  fair  women  and  sprightly  children 
on  their  way  to  the  sanctuary.  How  this  home  feeling  is  deepened 
when  we  enter  some  neat  and  well-filled  library,  and  look  upon  the 
array  of  good  authors  open  to  the  perusal  of  the  people,  and  feel  a 
new  sense  even  of  humane  and  religious  fellowship,  as  we  think  of 
the  grand  intellectual  catholicity  that  unites  the  whole  civilized  world 
in  the  same  literary  allegiance.  The  village  library  attracts  to  itself 
every  congenial  ally,  and  tends  to  diffuse  social  refinement  as  well 
as  intellectual  light.  The  Lyceum,  often  suggested  by  the  tastes 
formed  by  reading,  repays  the  debt  by  popular  lectures,  whose  pro- 
ceeds often  pay  the  expense  of  new  books,  and  there  is  no  more 
cheering  view  of  our  Young  America  than  that  afforded  by  the 
thousands  and  tens  of  thousands  of  young  men,  of  generous  and  in- 
quiring minds,  who  gather  around  the  popular  institute,  with  its 
library  and  courses  of  lectures. 

This  Convention  will  not  meet  in  vain,  if  it  shall  give  the  incen- 
tive to  form  one  new  institution  of  the  kind  anywhere  in  the  land. 
Every  such  library  tends  to  foster  a  worthy  public  spirit  among  citi- 
zens of  ample  means.  Many  a  successful  merchant  of  the  city,  who 
has  thriven  largely  in  some  "sugar  trade  or  cotton  line,"  and  who 
abounds  far  more  in  generous  impulses  than  literary  attainments,  would 
rejoice  to  send  to  his  native  town  or  village  some  choice  work  of  art, 
or  valuable  selection  of  books,  as  a  token  of  kindly  remembrance, 
if  an  institution  existed  that  should  suggest  the  hint  and  indicate 
the  method  to  the  benefactor.  It  will  be  found  that  every  well  or- 
ganized popular  library  has  been  much  enriched  by  such  donations, 
none  more  so  than  that  which  I  now  represent,  that  Athenaeum  so 
nobly  endowed  by  the  heirs  of  Ives,  so  strengthened  by  the  bequest 
of  Butler,  and  favored  every  year  by  the  generosity  of  men  less 
abounding  in  wealth,  yet  not  less  wanting  in  the  right  spirit. 

The  whole  country  grows  by  such  institutions,  for  they  at  once 


36         LIBRARIANS '  CONVENTION  1853 

collect  the  local  and  fugitive  literature,  so  important  to  the  natural 
history,  and  they  create  a  demand  for  the  best  class  of  books,  secur- 
ing of  themselves  an  encouraging  market  for  a  good  sized  edition  of 
every  work  of  undoubted  value.  I  call  your  attention  seriously  to 
the  value  of  such  enterprises,  and  urge  you  to  do  something  to  ex- 
tend and  improve  them.  Following  the  report  prepared  by  yourself, 
Mr.  President,  under  the  auspices  of  Congress,  I  find  the  number  of 
libraries,  of  a  public  character,  containing  1,000  volumes  and  up- 
wards, to  be  only  423,  and  the  aggregate  number  of  volumes  in  the 
694  libraries  reported,  exclusive  of  school  libraries,  to  be  2,201,623. 
Now,  sir,  where  is  the  town  of  any  importance  that  should  not  at 
once  have  its  thousand  of  good  books  circulating  among  its  people, 
and  what  but  the  want  of  the  true  spirit  shall  prevent  our  two  millions 
of  volumes  from  swelling  to  twenty  millions,  nay,  reaching  before 
the  year  of  the  next  census  the  full  limit  of  our  numerical  population, 
although  it  may  exceed  thirty  millions?  Sir,  with  your  leave,  I  offer 
the  following  resolutions: 

Resolved,  That  while  we  maintain  most  decidedly  the  importance 
of  libraries  of  the  highest  class,  in  furtherance  of  the  most  advanced 
literary  and  scientific  studies,  and  rejoice  in  the  rise  and  progress 
of  our  few  great  collections  of  books  for  professional  scholars,  we  are 
convinced  that  for  the  present  our  chief  hope  must  be  in  the  estab- 
lishment and  improvement  of  popular  libraries  throughout  the  land. 

Resolved,  That  the  Business  Committee  be  requested  to  call  at- 
tention to  the  desirableness  of  a  popular  Library  Manual,  which  shall 
embody  the  most  important  information  upon  the  chief  points  in 
question,  especially  upon  — 

1.  The  best  organization  of  a  Library  society,  in  regard  to  its  of- 
ficers, laws,  funds,  and  general  regulations. 

2.  The  best  plans  for  Library  edifices,  and  the  arrangements  of 
the  shelves  and  books,  with  the  requisite  architectural  drawings. 

3.  The  most  approved  method  of  making  out  and  printing  cata- 
logues. 

4.  The  most  desirable  principle  to  be  followed  in  the  selection  and 
purchase  of  books,  as  to  authors  and  editions ;  with  lists  of  such  works 
as  are  best  suited  for  libraries  of  various  sizes,  from  500  to  1,000 
volumes  or  upwards. 

Resolved,  That  the  Business  Committee  be  requested  to  consider 
the  expediency  of  memorializing  Congress  to  procure  the  preparation 
of  such  a  Manual,  through  the  agency  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution. 


LIBBABIANS'  CONVENTION  1853         37 

These  resolutions  were  referred  to  the  following  commit- 
tee, who  are  to  take  action  upon  them  and  report  at  the 
next  meeting  of  the  Convention ;  viz. :  Rev.  S.  Osgood,  Prof. 
C.  C.  Jewett,  and  Mr.  R.  A.  Guild. 

Subsequently,  Rev.  GORHAM  D.  ABBOTT  presented  the 
following  resolutions: 

Besolved,  That  the  time  has  now  arrived  when  the  extension  of 
well-selected  public  libraries,  of  1,000,  5,000  and  10,000  volumes, 
throughout  the  towns  and  villages,  the  associations,  the  institutions, 
the  schools  of  every  kind  in  the  United  States,  has  becomes  a  matter 
of  the  greatest  importance  to  the  future  welfare  of  our  country. 

Eesolved,  That  a  committee  of  three  be  appointed  to  report  a 
digested  plan  for  the  promotion  of  this  object  at  the  next  meeting 
of  this  Convention. 

Mr.  HALE  seconded  these  resolutions,  and  hoped  that 
some  means  might  be  found  to  carry  out  the  principle. 
But  he  called  the  attention  of  his  friend  who  moved  it  to 
the  danger  which  lurked  in  every  such  plan;  that,  so  soon 
as  such  a  list  of  books  was  suggested,  there  started  up  a 
bookseller's  job,  and  the  benefit  of  the  list  was  lost  in  the 
struggles  of  those  who  sought  to  be  the  only  publishers  who 
could  supply  the  libraries.  The  School  Boards  of  the 
various  States  have  found  this  difficulty  so  incurable,  that 
they  have  refrained  from  suggesting  any  list  of  school  books 
as  an  official  list  to  be  followed.  There  was,  too,  always, 
in  every  town,  some  peculiar  want  to  be  satisfied,  which  no 
general  list  could  meet. 

He  took  the  opportunity  presented  in  this  resolution,  to 
attempt  some  definition  as  to  the  real  character  of  a  "pop- 
ular library:"  the  words  had  been  frequently  used  in  the 
sessions  of  the  Convention,  but  needed  more  accuracy  in 
their  use  than,  out  of  the  Convention,  they  always  gained. 
In  fact,  there  were  two  distinct  meanings  of  the  word 
"popular,"  and  it  is  to  one  of  these  only  that  the  resolu- 
tion of  his  friend  referred,  or  his  support  of  it.  That  is 


38         LIBRARIANS '  CONVENTION  1853 

"popular"  which  at  the  moment  is  attractive,  as  the  play 
bills  in  the  streets  said  Miss  Julia  Dean  was  a  "popular" 
actress.  That  is  "popular"  in  another  sense,  which  is  of 
real  use  to  the  whole  people ;  and  it  is  in  this  sense  only 
that  the  resolution  contemplates  a  popular  library. 

The  great  duty  and  the  great  difficulty  of  the  trustees  of 
popular  libraries  is,  to  keep  them  true  to  this  sort  of  pop- 
ularity, and  to  turn  as  sternly  as  possible  from  the  tempta- 
tion to  buy  books  which  are  popular,  only  because  at  the 
moment  attractive,  for  this  last  class  of  purchases  becomes 
the  most  costly  possible.  In  a  few  years,  in  a  few  months 
even,  such  books  lose  all  their  attraction,  and  the  library 
has  bought  them  at  the  highest  price,  to  give  them  shelf- 
room  afterwards,  when  they  are  worth  really  nothing  at  all. 
A  circulating  library  sold  at  auction,  is  a  good  index  of  the 
worth,  after  a  few  years,  of  books  "popular"  in  their  day. 
Mr.  H.  illustrated  this  view  of  the  change  of  value  of  books 
by  one  or  two  instances. 

He  then  said,  that  the  enterprise  of  the  princely  pub- 
lishers of  this  city  had  relieved  library  purchasers  of  a 
great  part  of  the  difficulty  in  balancing  the  two  ' '  populari- 
ties."  That  magnificent  enterprise  which  has  made  books 
cheaper  in  America  than  in  any  country  in  the  world, 
makes  it  so  easy  for  every  man  to  get  hold  of  the  cheap 
literature  which  is  simply  transitory  in  its  character,  that 
there  is  really  no  need  now  to  accumulate  that  in  a  public 
library.  At  the  same  time,  this  very  cheap  literature, 
which,  with  all  its  dangers,  and  they  are  great,  was  still 
the  greatest  blessing  to  the  training  of  this  country,  had 
created,  and  would  still  create,  the  popular  appetite  for 
books  behind  it,  which  the  public  library,  if  it  was  really 
popular,  ought  to  supply.  The  youngster  who  had  bought 
for  a  shilling  the  fascinating  account  of  the  Russian  Cam- 
paign, by  Alexander  Dumas,  has  a  right  to  find  in  the  pub- 


LIBBARIANS'  CONVENTION  1853         39 

lie  library  the  more  fascinating  pages  of  the  Count  Segur, 
from  which  it  is  drawn.  To-day,  said  Mr.  Hale,  the  great 
literary  question  seems  likely  to  be,  whether  Napoleon  was 
the  best,  greatest,  and  most  religious  of  men,  or  the  worst, 
meanest,  and  least  religious  of  men.  Now,  the  young  men 
and  young  women  who  are  interested  in  that  discussion, 
have  a  right  to  claim  of  a  public  library,  that  when  they 
turn  from  Mr.  Abbott's  fascinating  life  of  him  in  Harper, 
they  shall  find  the  only  reading  about  him,  which  is  more 
fascinating,  in  the  details  of  his  own  dispatches,  or  the 
memoirs  of  his  own  generals.  For  the  popular  life  which 
circulates  a  thousand  copies  in  every  large  town,  they  need 
not  look  to  the  public  library :  for  the  materials  to  which  it 
refers  them  they  must  look  there ;  and  they  have  a  right  to 
claim  that  they  shall  be  found  there.  And  this  merit  has 
the  purchase  of  such  books,  that  every  year  their  value  in- 
creases, while  every  year  the  value  of  books,  which  are 
simply  the  talk  of  the  day,  falls  off  till  they  are  worth 
nothing  at  all. 

The  resolutions  were  adopted,  and  Messrs.  Haven,  of 
"Worcester,  Abbott,  of  New  York,  and  Jewett,  of  Washing- 
ton, appointed  as  the  committee  for  reporting  a  plan  at 
the  next  annual  meeting. 


Mr.  LLOYD  P.  SMITH,  of  Philadelphia,  presented  the  fol- 
lowing resolutions: 

Whereas,  The  documents  published  by  order  of  the  Congress  of  the 
United  States,  are  printed  in  large  numbers  at  the  public  expense, 
and 

Whereas,  It  is  desirable  that  they  should  be  so  distributed  as  to 
be  accessible  for  reference  to  all  citizens,  and  at  the  same  time  pre- 
served for  posterity,  therefore 

Resolved,  That  a  Committee  of  two  be  appointed  to  memorialize 
Congress,  on  behalf  of  this  Convention,  requesting  the  passage  of  a 


40         LIBRARIANS '  CONVENTION  1853 

joint  resolution,  granting  to  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  for  distri- 
bution among  the  principal  Public  Libraries  throughout  the  United 
States,  copies  of  all  such  Journals  of  Congress,  Senate  Documents, 
House  Documents,  Eeports  of  Committees,  and  other  State  Papers  as 
may  hereafter  be  printed  by  order  of  Congress. 

Mr.  SMITH  said  it  was  necessary,  with  such  an  intelligent 
audience  as  that  before  him,  to  expatiate  on  the  importance 
of  the  Public  Documents  and  State  Papers  of  the  United 
States.  They  were  constantly  wanted  for  reference,  not 
only  by  historians,  but  by  lawyers,  claimants  on  the  Gov- 
ernment, and  citizens  generally,  seeking  information.  In 
a  word,  they  are  invaluable. 

He  would  rather  say  a  few  words  on  the  right  which  he 
conceived  the  Convention  had,  in  its  representative  char- 
acter, to  call  upon  Congress  so  to  distribute  the  Public 
Documents  that  they  may  be  forever  accessible  to  their 
constituents.  These  documents  are  printed  at  vast  ex- 
pense, which  comes  out  of  the  pockets  of  the  citizens  gen- 
erally. By  the  present  mode  of  distribution  to  members 
of  Congress  and  a  few  favored  libraries  only,  they  become, 
soon  after  publication,  so  scarce  as  to  be  practically  useless, 
whereas,  by  the  proposed  distribution  to  the  public  libra- 
ries of  the  country,  and  for  purposes  of  reference,  (he  pre- 
sumed every  library  there  represented  was  accessible  to 
all  civil  gentlemen,)  they  would  always  be  at  hand  for  the 
use  of  those  for  whose  benefit  they  were,  in  fact,  printed. 
The  Convention  did  not,  therefore,  by  passing  these  resolu- 
tions, come  before  Congress  in  the  attitude  of  beggars,  but 
rather  as  demanding,  respectfully,  but  firmly,  for  the  peo- 
ple at  large,  their  own. 

Not  that  he  would  imply  that  there  was,  on  the  part  of 
Congress,  the  slightest  indisposition  to  do  what  in  it  lay 
for  the  "increase  and  diffusion  of  knowledge."  On  the 
contrary,  the  facts  just  mentioned  by  the  Librarian  of  the 


LIBRARIANS'  CONVENTION  1853         41 

Smithsonian  Institution,  not  to  speak  of  the  munificent 
appropriation  of  something  like  $150,000  for  a  work  which, 
it  was  supposed,  would  be  a  history  of  the  Indian  Trihes, 
showed  that  Congress  was  not  indifferent  to  the  claims  of 
learning.  But  there  was  a  natural  and  proper  dread  of 
jobbery  and  corruption  in  making  these  appropriations. 
In  the  case  just  mentioned  the  money  had  better  have  been 
thrown  into  the  Potomac  than  that  the  Government  should 
be  disgraced.  How  much  better  had  the  $150,000  been 
spent  in  building,  on  the  foundation  of  the  Congress  Li- 
brary, or  that  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  a  great  Na- 
tional Library,  which  should  be  for  this  country  what  the 
British  Museum,  the  Bibliotheque  du  Roi,  the  Royal  Li- 
brary of  Berlin,  and  other  national  institutions  are  for  the 
scholars  of  the  old  world.  And  this  led  him  to  speak  of 
the  plan  of  distribution  which,  by  these  resolutions,  was 
recommended  to  the  wisdom  of  Congress.  If  a  list  of 
libraries  was  recommended  by  this  Convention  to  the  favor 
of  Congress,  those  Senators  and  Representatives  whose  con- 
stituents were  not  included,  would  either  oppose  the  resolu- 
tions, or,  by  adding  amendment  after  amendment,  endanger 
their  passage;  or  if  they  should  be  passed,  no  provision 
would  be  made  for  libraries  hereafter  to  be  founded.  No 
objection,  he  thought,  could  be  made  in  any  quarter,  to 
handing  over,  every  session,  say  at  least  300  copies  of  all 
Public  Documents  to  the  Regents  of  the  Smithsonian  In- 
stitution, to  be,  at  their  discretion,  distributed  to  such 
libraries  as  would  be  likely  to  use  them  for  the  greatest 
benefit  of  the  country. 

Mr.  HALE  was  very  glad  to  see  this  subject  brought  up. 
He  looked  upon  it  as  the  most  important  subject  that  could 
be  brought  before  them.  The  government  of  the  United 
States  did  more  for  the  encouragement  of  Literature  than 
any  government  of  the  world,  but  still,  through  some  mis- 


42         LIBEABIANS '  CONVENTION  1853 

take  at  Washington,  the  documents  printed  at  the  public 
expense  were  not  circulated  as  generally  as  they  ought  to 
be.  A  complete  collection  of  all  the  public  documents  of 
the  United  States  could  not  now  be  found  anywhere. 

The  above  resolutions  were  unanimously  adopted.  Messrs. 
Smith,  of  Philadelphia,  and  Folsom,  of  Boston,  were  ap- 
pointed the  Committee. 

The  president  also  was  subsequently  added. 

Mr.  WALLACE,  of  Philadelphia,  offered  the  following 
resolutions,  which  he  introduced  with  a  few  appropriate 
remarks.  The  resolutions  were  unanimously  passed: 

Besolved,  As  a  sense  of  this  Convention,  that  the  completeness  of 
public  law  libraries  throughout  the  country,  and  the  interest  of  Amer- 
ican jurisprudence,  would  be  promoted  by  having,  in  each  incorporated 
or  public  law  library  of  the  United  States,  a  complete  set  of  the 
Statutes  at  large  of  every  State  of  the  Union,  in  their  original  and  un- 
abridged condition.  And  that,  as  these  volumes  appear  only  from  year 
to  year,  as  they  are  not  often  on  sale  by  law  booksellers,  nor  easily 
procured  from  year  to  year  by  application,  therefore,  that  this  Con- 
vention respectfully  suggests  to  the  Governors,  Secretaries  of  State, 
Legislatures  or  other  public  authorities  having  power  to  distribute 
these  volumes,  to  make  some  permanent  orders  for  transmitting  to 
the  Smithsonian  Institution,  at  Washington,  for  disribution  to  the 
library  of  the  Law  Association  at  Philadelphia,  and  to  the  other  pub- 
lic or  incorporated  law  libraries  throughout  the  United  States,  a  cer- 
tain number  of  copies  of  their  statute  laws,  as  published  from  year 
to  year  by  the  Legislatures  of  the  respective  States,  in  the  original 
and  unabridged  condition. 

Besolved,  That  the  Secretary  of  the  Law  Association  of  Phila- 
delphia, be  requested,  with  leave  of  that  body,  to  transmit  a  copy  of 
this  resolution  to  the  respective  Governors  and  Secretaries  of  State 
throughout  the  Union,  with  any  remarks  he  may  see  proper  to  make 
on  the  subject. 

The  following,  which  was  presented  by  Mr.  GUILD,  was 
also  adopted: 

Besolved,  That  the  members  of  this  Convention  cordially  recom- 
mend the  mutual  interchange,  so  far  as  may  be  practicable,  of  the 
printed  catalogues  of  all  our  public  libraries. 


LIBRAEIANS '  CONVENTION  1853         43 

INDEXES  TO  AMERICAN  LITERATURE 

Mr.  EDWIN  WILLIAMS  presented  the  following  plan  for 
an  Index  to  American  Newspapers : 

Proposed  Index  of  American  Newspapers,  and  Chronology  of  Impor- 
tant Events  for  the  last  125  years 

The  undersigned,  as  a  member  of  the  New  York  Historical  Society, 
brought  before  one  of  the  regular  meetings  of  that  institution  a  pro- 
posal, for  causing  to  be  made  an  index  of  the  principal  American 
newspapers  on  their  files,  extending  over  a  period  of  one  hundred  and 
twenty-five  years,  in  so  many  serial  volumes.  The  proposal  was 
favorably  received  by  the  Society,  and  referred  to  a  special  committee, 
of  which  the  undersigned  is  chairman,  with  power  to  carry  the  same 
into  effect;  and  he  desires  an  expression  of  the  opinion  of  this  Con- 
vention on  the  subject,  believing  that  it  is  important  to  the  interests 
of  Historical  Literature,  as  it  must  open  new  sources  of  information, 
particularly  to  those  engaged  in  researches  either  for  literary  or  bus- 
iness purposes. 

The  plan  proposes  an  index  and  chronological  arrangement  of  the 
most  important  matters  relative  to  American  history,  which  may  be 
found  in  the  newspapers  in  the  library  of  the  Historical  Society, 
principally  those  published  in  the  city  of  New  York,  commencing  in 
or  about  the  year  1728,  and  continued  to  the  present  year;  the  index 
to  include  also  the  volumes  of  the  National  Intelligencer,  which  has 
been  published  at  the  city  of  Washington  for  the  last  half  century. 
It  might  also  embrace  the  volumes  of  Niles'  Register,  published  in 
Baltimore,  from  1811  to  1849,  to  which  there  is  a  semi-annual  but 
no  general  index,  except  for  the  first  twelve  volumes. 

The  proposed  index  would  probably  comprise  two  octavo  volumes  of 
about  one  thousand  pages,  arranged  on  the  plan  of  Holmes'  American 
Annals,  which  comprise  two  volumes  of  chronology,  from  1492  to  1826. 
Five  or  more  persons  could  be  employed  in  the  work  of  preparing  the 
index,  under  the  auspices  of  the  committee  of  the  New  York  Historical 
Society,  and  the  time  required  need  not  exceed  two  years.  The  Society 
would  then  publish  the  work  in  two  volumes,  in  an  edition  of  one  thou- 
sand or  one  thousand  five  hundred  copies.  The  total  expense  is  esti- 
mated at  ten  thousand  dollars;  one-half  for  the  preparation,  and  one- 
half  for  printing  and  binding. 

To  provide  for  the  payment  of  the  expense,  it  is  proposed  to  obtain 
two  hundred  subscribers,  at  fifty  dollars  each,  and  the  volumes,  when 


44         LIBEARIANS '  CONVENTION  1853 

published,  to  belong  to  the  subscribers,  each  receiving  five  copies  of 
the  work  for  his  share  of  fifty  dollars.  EDWIN  WILLIAMS. 

Mr.  HAVEN  presented  the  following  resolution  in  rela- 
tion to  this  subject,  which  was  adopted: 

Besolved,  That  this  Convention  approve  the  plan  of  the  proposed 
index  and  chronology  of  American  newspapers,  belonging  to  the  New 
York  Historical  Society,  on  the  plan  submitted  by  Edwin  Williams, 
and  referred,  for  the  purpose  of  being  carried  out,  to  a  special  com- 
mittee of  that  Society,  and  that  we  recommend  the  proposition  to  the 
favorable  consideration  and  support  of  the  friends  of  literature 
throughout  the  United  States,  particularly  to  libraries  and  other 
literary  institutions. 

II 

A  copy  of  a  new  index  to  the  Periodical  Literature  of 
England  and  America  was  exhibited  to  the  Convention, 
and,  on  motion  of  Mr.  Folsom  it  was  unanimously 

Resolved,  That  we  have  examined  the  work  entitled  "Index  to 
Periodicals,"  by  W.  F.  Poole,  Librarian  of  the  Mercantile  Library  of 
Boston,  and  that  we  approve  of  its  plan  and  execution,  and  we  rec- 
ommend that  a  similar  system  of  indexing  be  extended  to  the  trans- 
actions and  memoirs  of  learned  societies. 

The  following  plan  for  a  Catalogue  of  Standard  Works 
relating  to  America  was  presented  by  Mr.  DISTURNELL,  and 
referred  to  the  Business  Committee : 

STANDARD  WORKS  ON  AMERICA,  showing  its  Hitsory,  Geography, 
and  Statistics. 

Also,  a  Catalogue  of  Works  relating  to  American  History,  Geog- 
raphy, and  Statistics  of  Population,  Emigration,  Agriculture,  Com- 
merce, Manufactures,  Internal  Improvements,  Minerals,  Coinage,  and 
Banking. 

The  Historical  and  Geographical  Works,  including  Maps  and  Charts, 
to  date  from  the  first  discovery  of  America,  by  Columbus,  to  the  pres- 
ent time.  The  Statistical  Works  to  date  from  the  first  enumeration  of 
the  population  of  the  United  States,  in  1790  or  1800,  to  the  present 
period.  "Statistics,"  although  of  modern  date,  the  subject  having  first 
been  brought  forward  and  matured  by  Sir  John  Sinclair,  of  Scotland, 


LIBEABIANS '  CONVENTION  1853         45 

during  the  last  half  and  first  part  of  the  present  century,  is  no  doubt 
destined  to  become  one  of  the  most  important  sciences  for  the  ad- 
vancement of  the  human  race.  Enough  is  already  known,  from  of- 
ficial and  reliable  statements,  to  form  correct  conclusions  in  regard 
to  the  working  of  different  systems,  whether  relating  to  governments 
or  domestic  relations.  Everything  that  can  be  numbered,  weighed,  or 
measured  can  be  made  the  subject  of  minute  inquiry  and  careful  reg- 
istry. What  were  formerly  considered  pure  accidents,  and  so  exempt 
from  close  examination,  or  beneath  notice,  have  been  shown,  under 
the  statistician's  arrangement,  to  be  the  products  of  general  laws, 
and  to  have  a  real  and  systematic  bearing  upon  the  welfare  of  man. 

As  the  Science  of  Statistics  is  of  so  recent  date,  it  is  necessary  to 
unite  History  and  Geography  in  order  to  make  the  chain  of  knowledge 
perfect  from  the  first  discovery  of  the  American  continent,  or  its 
islands,  in  1492,  to  the  present  period. 

A  complete  list  of  Standard  WorTcs  on  information  relating  to  the 
above  kindred  subjects,  with  the  date  of  first  publication,  whether  in 
bound  volumes,  manuscripts,  public  documents,  pamphlets,  or  separate 
articles  in  magazines,  &c.,  giving  the  names  of  compilers  and  author- 
ities as  far  as  possible,  would  afford  great  assistance  to  the  seeker 
after  useful  knowledge,  aid  in  the  formation  of  private  and  public 
libraries,  and  thus  be  a  lasting  benefit  to  the  present  and  future  gen- 
erations. 

CLASSIFICATION    OF    WORKS    INTO    CATALOGUES 


The  following  letter  from  M.  Merlin,  of  Paris,  was  pre- 
sented to  the  Convention  by  Mr.  C.  B.  Norton : 

PARIS,  29th  August,  1853. 

DEAR  SIR — In  promising  to  send  to  your  Convention  a  slight  bib- 
liographical offering,  I  felt  that  I  have  not  consulted  my  strength  nor 
my  time,  and  I  must  beg  you  to  judge  indulgently  of  these  pages, 
traced  in  haste,  and  with  the  sole  desire  of  expressing  to  you,  as  well 
as  to  the  learned  gentlemen  who  will  assemble,  my  sympathy  with 
their  efforts. 

I  am  happy  to  learn  that  one  of  the  questions  likely  to  be  proposed 
at  your  bibliographical  meeting  is,  the  choice  of  some  plan  of  classifi- 
cation proper  to  be  adopted  by  the  Libraries  of  the  United  States. 
Having  been  long  impressed  with  the  insufficiency  of  the  different 


46         LIBRAKIANS '  CONVENTION  1853 

methods  in  use  or  proposed,  I  have  made  this  important  question  the 
object  of  my  study,  and  I  have  in  press,  at  the  Imperial  Printing  Of- 
fice, a  work  in  which,  after  having  reviewed,  analyzed,  and  estimated 
all  that  has  been  done  up  to  the  present  time,  especially  in  Prance,  I 
now  propose  a  new  method,  and  give  you  herewith  its  principal  points. 
I  have  already  made  use  of  this  system  of  classification  in  several 
catalogues.  That  of  the  rich  library  of  the  celebrated  Orientalist, 
Sylvestre  de  Sacy,  edited  by  me,  in  3  vols.,  8vo,  Paris,  1843  to  1847, 
shows  the  application  of  my  system,  and  has  some  explanations  in 
the  preface. 

In  my  opinion  every  systematic  bibliographical  classification  should 
be  based  upon  the  logical  classification  of  the  sciences.  I  have  there- 
fore sought,  in  the  first  place,  for  the  most  natural  order  of  arranging 
the  different  branches  of  human  knowledge,  independently  of  all 
application  to  bibliography,  and  it  is  from  that  order  that  I  have 
deduced  my  bibliographical  system. 

It  is  very  difficult,  I  am  aware,  to  judge  correctly  of  a  system  from 
these  detached  portions.  Nevertheless,  I  do  not  hesitate  to  transcribe 
for  you  some  passages  from  my  forthcoming  work,  which  I  think  will 
give  you  an  insight  into  my  plan.  If  there  are  any  obscure  or  doubt- 
ful passages,  I  trust  that  they  will  be  explained  by  the  work  itself  on 
its  appearance. 

"According  to  my  views,  a  system  of  bibliographical  classification 
is  a  logical  chain  of  great  classes  and  their  subdivisons,  whose  forma- 
tion and  order  are  the  result  of  a  few  principles,  which  serve  as  a  base 
to  the  system.  The  great  object  of  bibliographical  classification  is  to 
assist  the  memory,  by  presenting  information  which  will  facilitate 
the  inquirer  in  his  search  after  books  that  he  already  knows  exist,  and 
impart  to  him  information  concerning  those  with  which  he  is  unac- 
quainted. This  is  almost  the  same  as  presenting  the  literary  history 
of  each  science  in  a  synoptical  form.  This  result  can  only  be  attained 
by  bringing  together  all  the  works  that  treat  on  the  same  subject,  and 
by  arranging  them  in  such  order  that  the  mind  shall  pass  naturally 
from  each  subject  to  that  which  should  follow  or  precede  it;  and  in 
this  way  the  place  where  any  subject  is  found  will  be  a  sort  of 
definition  of  its  nature,  and  its  distinctive  characteristics.  .  .  It  is 
from  this  double  operation,  that  is  to  say,  from  the  bringing  together 
similar  subjects  in  their  special  groups,  and  determining  the  order 
which  should  be  given  to  these  groups,  that  their  logical  connection 


LIBBAEIANS '  CONVENTION  1853         47 

will  be  made  manifest,  and  great  assistance  be  given  to  the  memory 
and  mind.    .    . 

"But  in  order  that  this  logical  connection  shall  really  assist  the 
memory  and  the  mind,  it  must  be  easy  to  comprehend  and  bear  in 
mind  the  principles  according  to  which  the  subjects  have  been  brought 
together,  and  their  order  determined.  .  . 

"If  principles  are  adopted  from  merely  abstract  considerations,  the 
classification  will  fail  of  accomplishing  its  end;  it  will  be  intelligible 
only  to  the  minds  of  the  few,  and  the  best  memory  will  fail  to  retain 
it.  .  . 

' '  If,  on  the  contrary,  the  divisions  are  taken  from  the  nature  of  the 
objects  to  be  classified,  and  their  order  is  based  upon  those  great  laws 
of  nature  which  may  be  daily  noted,  the  system  will  become  intel- 
ligible to  all,  and  every  one's  memory  will  be  assisted. 
General  Classification  of  the  Sciences,  independent  of  Bibliography 

"Therefore  the  Sciences  have  been  generally  classified  according 
to  arbitrary  or  metaphysical  considerations,  as  that  of  the  progress  of 
the  Sciences,  their  comparative  value,  the  relation  which  they  bear  to 
each  other,  their  various  applications,  the  nature  of  the  moral  fac- 
ulties, the  sources  of  human  knowledge.  .  . 

"Throwing  aside  these  abstract  considerations,  I  would  rest  upon 
principles  which  I  consider  less  subject  to  discussion  and  more  easy  to 
be  understood.  .  . 

"According  to  my  view,  the  first  element  of  scientific  classification 
should  be  taken  from  the  subjects  treated.  Compare  the  Sciences  with 
each  other,  and  you  will  not  fail  to  see  that  the  most  certain  and  the 
most  unchangeable  characteristic  which  distinguishes  one  from  the 
other  is  the  subject  itself,  and  their  position  is,  therefore,  to  be 
decided  upon  according  to  the  nature  of  the  subject  treated.  It  is 
from  this  subject  that  they  almost  always  take  their  name;  but  the 
same  subject  may  be  considered  under  different  views,  and  may  thus 
give  rise  to  several  Sciences  connected  with  each  other  by  the  iden- 
tity of  the  subject,  but  distinct  according  to  the  point  of  view  from 
which  each  is  considered.  .  . 

"Thence  result  two  principal  and  distinct  things  to  be  considered; 
first,  the  general  subject,  which  will  serve  to  separate  these  Sciences 
into  groups;  second,  the  point  of  view  which  will  distinguish  the 
Sciences  of  each  group  from  one  another.  .  . 

"The  subject  has  given  us  the  distinctive  character,  according  to 


48         LIBEAEIANS '  CONVENTION  1853 

which  our  divisions  will  be  formed;  it  will  also  give  us  the  order  of 
these  divisions.  Since  each  group  of  Sciences  represents  a  special 
subject,  it  is  evident  that  the  order  of  these  groups  should  be  modeled 
from  the  subjects  which  they  represent.  .  . 

"Notwithstanding  the  indefinite  variety  of  the  subjects  of  human 
knowledge,  all  are  material  things,  or  are  connected  with  material 
things  by  ties  more  or  less  direct,  more  or  less  intimate.  If,  then, 
we  can  find  the  most  natural  order  for  the  productions  of  Creation, 
we  shall  have  found  the  most  natural  order  for  the  subjects  of  human 
knowledge,  and,  consequently,  for  human  knowledge  itself.  .  .  It  is 
not  difficult  to  discover  this  order;  it  is  seen  by  us  at  all  times;  it 
is  that  which  the  Creator  himself  has  traced  in  his  works,  by  grad- 
uating with  such  admirable  regularity  the  organization  of  all  beings, 
from  the  stone  up  to  man. 

"I  would  accordingly  classify  human  knowledge  by  the  objects  of 
which  it  treats,  either  directly  or  indirectly,  all  arranged  in  the  or- 
ganic scale  of  being,  and  graduate  this  scale  according  to  the  chron- 
ological order  of  creation;  that  is  to  say,  rising  from  the  most  simple 
to  the  most  perfect. 

"As  to  the  subjects  which  treat  of  intellectual  abstractions,  of  the 
moral  world,  or  considerations  of  the  social  state,  we  shall  see,  by 
what  follows,  how  they  take  their  place  in  the  outline  that  I  have  just 
traced. 

"I  will  proceed  by  analysis,  showing  the  whole  before  the  sections, 
the  entire  plan  before  the  details,  things  in  general  before  those  in 
particular. 

Great  Divisions 

"In  the  universality  of  beings  we  see,  as  a  first  division,  on  one 
side  the  Creator,  on  the  other  the  Creation.  All  the  ideas  that  relate 
to  God,  to  whatever  opinion  or  religion  they  may  belong,  will  form 
a  principal  group,  that  I  shall  designate  by  the  title  of  THEOLOGICAL 
SCIENCES. 

"The  Sciences  and  Arts  which  treat  of  the  whole  or  any  portion 
of  those  myriads  of  created  beings,  shall  be  comprised  under  the 
common  title  of  COSMOLOGICAL  SCIENCES. 

' '  Since  cause  is  before  effect,  the  science  which  treats  of  God  should 
be  before  all  other  sciences,  and  it  would  be  so  in  my  classification, 
without  the  principles  of  analytical  exposition  by  which  my  system  is 
arranged,  and  according  to  which  every  science  which  embraces  several 


LIBRARIANS'  CONVENTION  1853         49 

objects  ought  to  precede  that  which  treats  only  of  those  objects. 
Now  Theology  has  only  God  for  its  object,  and  there  is  another  sci- 
ence which  treats  of  God  and  the  Creation,  that  is  PHILOSOPHY;  not 
Psychology,  which  only  describes  the  human  soul,  not  Moral  Philos- 
ophy, which  lays  down  rules  for  social  life,  but  Philosophy,  as  known 
to  the  Ancients,  treating  of  first  causes,  of  the  Essence  of  Being,  of 
the  Creator  and  created  things;  in  a  word,  embracing  everything  in 
an  encyclopedic  manner;  Philosophy  will  then  precede  Theology,  and 
after  it  will  come  the  Sciences  which  relate  to  created  things." 
From  this  order  spring  three  great  divisions, 
I.    PHILOSOPHY. 
II.    THEOLOGICAL  SCIENCES. 
III.     COSMOLOGICAL  SCIENCES. 

1.  MATHEMATICAL  SCIENCE. 

2.  PHYSICAL  ' ' 

3.  ASTEONOMICAL        ' ' 

4.  GEOLOGICAL  ' ' 

5.  MlNERALOGICAL          ' ' 

6.  PHYTOLOGICAL         ' ' 

7.  ZOOLOGICAL  ' ' 

8.  ANTHROPOLOGICAL  ' ' 

As  to  the  sciences  which  relate  to  Man,  their  division  and  order  are 
not  less  simple  or  less  natural.  I  consider  Man  under  two  heads, 
Individual  Man  and  Man  in  Society.  Individual  man  presents  me 
with  two  divisions,  Physical  Man  and  Moral  Man.  Society  also  fur- 
nishes me  with  two  divisions,  the  Social  or  Political  Sciences  and  the 
Historical  Sciences. 

This  is,  sir,  the  outline  of  my  classification  of  the  Sciences  without 
the  Bibliographical  application.  Ths  application  changes  nothing  of 
importance,  it  only  adds  numerous  subdivisions  and  another  class, 
POLYGRAPHY 

I  should  be  very  much  honored  if  my  method  were  judged  by  your 
learned  librarians  worthy  of  being  applied  to  the  literary  collections 
which  are  made  all  over  America.  But,  whatever  may  be  the  judg- 
ment passed  upon  it,  I  shall  be  always  delighted,  sir,  with  the  cir- 
cumstance which  has  procured  for  me  the  opportunity  of  making  your 
acquaintance,  and  to  prove  to  you  the  great  respect  with  which  I  am, 
sir,  Your  very  devoted  servant,  R.  MERLIN. 

Mr.  Charles  B.  Norton. 


50         LIBRARIANS '  CONVENTION  1853 

II 

A  Paper  on  the  Classified  Index  of  the  Catalogue  of  the 
Philadelphia  Library  Company,  prepared  for  the  Librar- 
ians' Convention,  by  LLOYD  P.  SMITH,  ESQ.: 

GENTLEMEN:  It  has  occurred  to  me  that  a  short  account  of  the 
manner  of  arranging  and  cataloguing  the  books  of  the  Library  Com- 
pany of  Philadelphia,  might  give  rise  to  a  discussion  on  those  sub- 
jects which  would  be  mutually  instructive. 

The  Philadelphia  Library  has  been  in  existence  121  years,  and  now 
numbers  65,000  vols.  The  books  are  arranged  on  the  shelves  accord- 
ing to  a  plan  perhaps  somewhat  peculiar;  that  is,  simply  according  to 
size.  There  are  four  sets  of  numbers,  viz. :  of  folios,  quartos,  octavos, 
and  duodecimos.  This  plan  has  some  advantages  as  well  as  some  dis- 
advantages. It  gives  a  neat  and  uniform  appearance  to  the  books  as 
they  stand  on  the  shelves,  and  it  makes  it  easy  to  ascertain  at  once 
whether  a  book  is  "in"  or  not.  There  is  one  exact  spot  where  each 
volume  ought  to  be ;  if  it  is  not  there  it  must  be  ' '  out. ' '  It  has  the 
disadvantage  that  the  works  on  the  same  subject  are  not  together. 
This  is,  however,  less  important  with  us  than  in  those  libraries  where 
the  cases  are  open  to  the  public  or  to  members  for  inspection.  The 
books  in  the  Philadelphia  Library  are  always  kept  under  lock  and 
key,  the  titles  on  the  backs  being,  however,  visible  through  the  wires 
which  protect  them.  When  a  book  is  wanted,  the  catalogue  indicates 
the  number  and  size,  and,  on  the  principle  of  "a  place  for  everything 
and  everything  in  its  place,"  it  is  readily  found. 

It  is  obvious  that,  in  our  system,  this  strict  dependence  (where  the 
librarian's  memory  is  at  fault)  on  the  Catalogue  makes  a  good  one 
of  the  greatest  importance. 

When  I  took  charge  of  the  Library,  in  Jan.,  1849,  the  state  of  the 
Catalogues  was  this: 

All  the  books  acquired  by  the  Library  before  1835  were  included  in 
one  general  Catalogue  in  two  volumes.  Those  added  from  1835  to 
1844  were  embraced  in  the  First  Supplement,  and  those  from  1844  to 
1849  in  the  Second  Supplement. 

The  great  Catalogue  of  1835  was  arranged,  according  to  subjects, 
into  the  usual  five  grand  divisions  of  Eeligion,  Jurisprudence,  Sciences 
and  Arts,  Belles  Lettres,  and  History.  These  chief  heads  were  sub- 
divided with  considerable  minuteness,  each  subdivision  being  ar- 


LIBEAEIANS'  CONVENTION  1853         51 

ranged  alphabetically  by  authors'  names,  and  anonymous  books  being 
placed  at  the  end.  Of  the  remarkable  accuracy  and  judgment  (indi- 
cating extensive  acquirements  in  the  compiler)  with  which  the  titles 
of  books  are  classified  in  this  Catalogue,  I  cannot  forbear  speaking. 
It  is  the  work  of  George  Campbell,  Esq.,  from  1806  to  1829  the 
Librarian  of  the  Institution,  and  still,  I  am  happy  to  say,  its  Secre- 
tary. 

' '  Thank  God  for  the  makers  of  dictionaries !  "  a  pious  Oxford  stu- 
dent was  overheard  to  ejaculate;  and  I  think,  gentlemen,  those  who 
use  the  collections  under  our  care  have  reason  to  be  equally  grateful 
that  there  are  such  persons  as  the  makers  of  catalogues. 

But  however  admirable  may  be  the  arrangement  of  a  Systematic 
Catalogue,  it  constantly  happens  that  those  who  use  it  are  at  a  loss 
under  what  head  to  look  for  a  particular  work.  An  alphabetical 
Index,  therefore,  especially  of  authors'  names,  becomes  necessary; 
and  such  an  Index,  but  partial  and  so  incomplete  as  not  to  be  de- 
pended on,  was  extemporised  as  the  Catalogue  of  1835  was  going 
through  the  press,  and  added  to  it  as  an  Appendix.  The  Supple- 
ments of  1844  and  1849  are  totally  destitute  of  such  an  index.  To 
make  sure  that  a  book  is"  not  in  the  Philadelphia  Library,  it  is  neces- 
sary, therefore,  to  look  through  three  Catalogues;  and  if,  as  con- 
stantly happens,  it  is  doubtful  under  what  head  a  book  would  fall, 
or,  again,  if  the  title  of  a  book  is  known,  but  not  the  author's  name, 
the  search  is  a  very  tedious  one,  and  sometimes  hopeless. 

To  remedy  these  evils,  I  conceived  the  following  plan,  viz.:  to  con- 
solidate the  two  Supplements,  together  with  the  MS.  list  of  works 
added  since  1849,  into  one  Catalogue,  classified  like  that  of  1835,  and 
to  be  called  vol.  3,  the  paging  to  run  on  continuously  from  vol.  2, 
which  itself  follows  that  of  vol.  1.  It  is  not  proposed  to  consolidate 
the  whole  into  one  complete  Catalogue,  on  account  of  the  expense, 
which  would  be  about  $5,000.  But  most  of  the  advantages  of  such 
a  consolidation,  together  with  some  others  not  attainable  by  that 
process,  will  be  secured  by  an  alphabetical  INDEX  to  the  whole,  on 
which  I  have  been  now  more  than  two  years  engaged. 

In  making  this  Index  the  plan  is,  to  take  for  a  basis  the  present 
imperfect  Index  to  the  Catalogue  of  1835,  and  going  over  each  title 
again  in  that  Catalogue. 

I.  To  examine  whether  the  author's  name  (if  any)  is  already  in- 
dexed, if  not,  to  index  it  on  a  slip  of  paper,  adding  a  short  title  of 
the  book  and  the  page  of  the  Catalogue  on  which  it  is  to  be  found. 


52         LIBRARIANS '  CONVENTION  1853 

II.  To  index  the  translators'  and  annotators'  names. 

III.  To  take  the  most  important  word  or  words  of  the  title,  and 
index  it  by  them,  as  well  as,  in  some  cases,  by  some  other  word  more 
likely  to  be  referred  to  as  the  subject. 

It  will  sometimes  happen,  therefore,  that,  on  this  plan,  a  book  will 
be  indexed  five  or  six  times,  or  even  more :  e.  g.,  ' i  6,411,  O.  The  Spy 
Unmasked;  or,  Memoirs  of  Enoch  Crosby,  alias  Harvey  Birch,  com- 
prising many  interesting  anecdotes  never  before  published.  By 
H.  L.  Barnum.  New  York,  1828." 

This  work  (like  all  biography,  poetry,  and  sermons)  is  not  at  pres- 
ent indexed  at  all.  By  the  plan  proposed  it  will  be  found  under  either 
of  the  following  references: 

PAGE 

Barnum,  H.  L.  Spy  Unmasked 924 

Spy,  Unmasked 924 

Crosby,  E.,  Memoirs  of 924 

Birch,  H.,  Memoirs  of 924 

Again,  take  the  folowing  title: 

"2,112,  D.  A  History  of  Three  of  the  Judges  of  King  Charles  the 
First,  Major  General  Whalley,  General  Goffe,  and  Colonel  Dixwell, 
who,  at  the  restoration  in  1660,  fled  to  America,  and  were  concealed  in 
Massachusetts  and  Connecticut  for  near  thirty  years;  with  an  account 
of  Mr.  Theophilus  Whale,  supposed  also  to  have  been  one  of  the 
Judges.  By  President  Stiles.  Hartford,  1794." 

Here,  besides  the  proper  names  Stiles,  Whalley,  Goffe,  Dixwell,  and 
Whale,  I  would  index  the  word  Regicides,  under  which,  though  it 
does  not  occur  on  the  title-page,  the  book  is  likely  to  be  looked  for. 

In  a  word,  my  system  amounts  to  a  copious  multiplication  of  cross 
references. 

For  using  the  Index,  therefore,  the  following  simple  rule  will  be 
prefixed  to  it.  "If  the  author's,  translator's,  or  annotator's  name 
is  known,  turn  to  it.  If  the  title  only  of  a  book  is  known,  and  not 
the  author's  name,  or  if  it  is  anonymous,  turn  to  the  most  important 
word,  preferring  of  two  words  equally  important  that  which  stands 
first  in  the  title.  Otherwise,  turn  to  the  subject. 

"Having  found  a  book  in  this  Index,  the  number  in  the  outer 
column  indicates  that  page  in  the  Catalogue,  to  which  turn  in  order 
to  find  the  full  title  of  the  work,  together  with  its  number  and  size, 
which  latter  indicates  to  the  Librarian  its  position  on  the  shelves. ' ' 

I  flatter  myself  that  when  this  plan  is  carried  out,  the  Library 


LIBRARIANS'  CONVENTION  1853         53 

Company  of  Philadelphia  will  possess  a  Catalogue  unsurpassed  for 
facility  of  reference  by  any  in  the  world. 

The  labor  of  Indexing  the  larger  Catalogue  of  1835  is  nearly  com- 
pleted. It  remains  to  consolidate  the  titles  of  books  added  since  1835 
into  a  third  volume,  classified  on  the  same  plan  as  vols.  1  and  2,  to 
index  this  third  vol.,  and  finally  to  arrange  the  whole  Index  matter 
alphabetically  to  form  an  Appendix.  Volume  3,  therefore,  and  Index, 
will  probably  be  published  about  January,  1855. 

INTERNATIONAL  EXCHANGES 

The  following  communication,  from  Mons.  Vattemare, 
was  laid  before  the  Convention  by  Mr.  C.  B.  Norton : 

PARIS,  August  22,  1853. 

DEAR  SIR:  I  take  this  opportunity  to  send  you  the  accompanying 
series  of  tables,  submitted  some  months  ago  to  the  Emperor,  and  pre- 
pared by  order  of  his  majesty. 

The  whole  of  my  system  is  there;  its  origin  and  progress,  and  the 
results  obtained  up  to  the  year  1853. 

But  since  these  tables  were  presented  to  the  Emperor,  the  Ex- 
changes have  considerably  increased.  Yet  the  above  statement  will 
give  you  an  idea  of  what  the  result  will  be,  the  moment  the  system 
shall  have  been  universally  adopted  and  established  upon  a  large  and 
permanent  basis;  above  all,  when  you  consider  what  has  been  accom- 
plished by  so  humble  an  individual  as  myself. 

What  I  aim  at  is,  the  establishment  of  a  regular  and  permanent 
system  of  exchange  between  governments,  of  not  only  the  useless 
duplicates  of  their  public  libraries,  but  everything  emanating  from 
the  genius  of  a  nation,  so  as  to  form,  in  the  Capitals  of  the  civilized 
nations,  public  international  libraries  that  would  become  a  permanent 
exhibition  of  the  intellectual  power  of  each  of  them,  a  lasting  World's 
Fair  of  the  genius  of  nations.  Hence,  my  constant  and  humble  re- 
quest has  always  been  while  addressing  myself  to  the  government  of 
your  noble  country,  "whenever  you  shall  be  in  want  of  a  European 
book,  buy  an  American ; "  in  Europe  I  make  the  same  invitation. 
Let  us  have  a  central  agency  on  each  Continent,  which  shall  be  in 
connection  with  each  other  to  negotiate  these  exchanges;  let  us  have 
a  monthly  publication  in  English,  French,  and  German,  which  shall 
publish  the  proceedings  of  the  agency,  and  the  titles  of  the  books  or 
objects  exchanged,  or  to  be  exchanged.  Would  not  such  a  plan  power- 


54         LIBRARIANS '  CONVENTION  1853 

fully  contribute  to  the  diffusion  of  knowledge  and  international  good- 
will, and  to  the  realization  of  the  republic  of  letters,  the  peaceful 
confederation  of  republics,  kingdoms,  and  empires?  Could  a  greater 
assistance  be  given  to  the  Book  Trade  than  the  adoption  of  such  a 
plan? 

The  political  events  that  have  transpired  since  1847,  have  brought  a 
temporary  prejudice  to  my  system.  On  my  return  from  America,  I 
found  the  administration  almost  entirely  renewed.  I  have  had  to  do 
with  officers  entirely  unacquainted  with  my  mission,  and  uninterrupted 
changes  and  alterations  in  the  different  ministerial  departments  have 
rendered  my  task  very  difficult  and  extremely  laborious.  This  is  one 
only  of  the  causes  why  the  results  have  not  been  exactly  what  they 
promised  to  be  when  I  left  France  for  my  mission  to  the  United 
States;  but  a  little  patience,  and  things  will  take  their  proper  course. 
The  moment  there  shall  be  the  slightest  relaxation  in  the  political 
excitement,  attention  will  be  immediately  turned  towards  our  system. 

You  know  what  Prince  Napoleon  said  in  your  presence:  that  twice 
already  he  had  had  about  our  system  a  conversation  with  the  Em- 
peror, who  told  him  that  he  appreciated  the  system  most  highly,  and 
was  only  waiting  for  a  moment  of  leisure  to  examine  it  thoroughly, 
and  devise  the  means  of  realizing  it. 

Meanwhile,  the  Minister  of  Public  Instruction,  on  the  proposal  of 
his  colleague,  the  Minister  of  Public  Works,  has  addressed  a  circular 
letter  to  the  other  members  of  the  Cabinet,  inviting  them  to  form  a 
kind  of  association  to  give  to  the  system  all  the  support  it  deserves. 
But  before  giving  an  official  answer  to  this  proposal,  a  general  in- 
vestigation is  now  taking  place  in  all  the  departments,  the  public 
libraries,  museums,  &c.,  to  ascertain  what  has  already  been  received, 
and  the  results  to  be  anticipated  from  the  system. 

The  Minister  of  Public  Instruction  told  me,  some  time  ago,  that 
this  system  would  be  of  no  value  to  the  world,  unless  it  be  established 
upon  a  large  scale;  that,  heretofore,  all  I  had  done,  although  very 
considerable,  was  a  mere  gleaning. 

As  for  our  American  collection,  you  know,  likewise,  the  opinion  of 
Prince  Napoleon,  who  considers  it  as  "a  great  monument  to  the 
genius  of  a  great  people,  and  of  its  friendly  feeling  towards  France, ' ' 
He  thinks,  also,  that  the  place  now  ready  to  receive  it,  in  the  building 
of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  is  not  becoming  its  importance,  and  he 
told  me,  in  your  presence,  that  he  would  himself  see  the  new  Prefect, 
to  manage  that  matter  with  him  to  the  honor  of  America  and  the 


LIBKARIANS'  CONVENTION  1853         55 

gratification  of  the  public.  The  projected  arrangement  is  to  give  to 
each  State  a  certain  number  of  alcoves  or  shelves,  in  accordance  with 
its  intellectual  riches  and  liberality,  each  one  severally  distinguished 
with  its  coat  of  arms  and  date  of  incorporation. 

As  for  the  system,  it  is  gaining  ground  rapidly  in  Europe.  By  a 
letter  dated  St.  Petersburg,  29th  July  last,  received  the  same  day  I 
had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  you,  His  Excellency  the  Baron  de  Korff, 
Counsellor  of  State,  and  Director  of  the  Imperial  Library  of  St. 
Petersburg,  acknowledging  the  receipt  of  the  Natural  History  of  the 
State  of  New  York,  informs  me  that,  after  mature  consideration, 
convinced  of  the  important  services  our  system  of  exchange  is  likely 
to  render,  he  sends  me  the  list  of  a  series  of  most  valuable  duplicates 
of  incunabula  in  the  Imperial  Library,  to  be  placed  at  my  disposal. 
The  Danish  Government  has  also  presented,  through  its  minister  here, 
a  list  of  splendid  ancient  works.  The  librarians  of  some  of  the  cele- 
brated Universities  of  Germany  have  made  similar  communications. 
I  am  waiting  with  the  greatest  anxiety  for  the  official  answer  of  the 
French  administration,  to  be  able  to  begin  the  publication  of  our 
Bulletin  of  international  exchanges,  to  publish  all  those  lists  of  most 
valuable  works. 

You  have  seen  the  fine  series  of  ancient  and  modern  books  they  were 
selecting  for  me  at  the  Imperial  Library.  The  little  time  you  spent 
in  my  office  was  yet  sufficient  to  give  you  an  idea  of  what  may  be 
obtained  from  our  system.  You  saw  all  the  nations  side  by  side,  re- 
publicans and  imperialists  holding  each  other  by  the  hand  to  help 
the  realization  of  our  great  and  peaceful  Kepublic  of  Letters. 

Let  me  close  this  letter  by  expressing  my  grateful  acknowledgment 
towards  the  States  and  institutions  of  the  Union,  that  have  so  readily 
and  so  nobly  given  a  helping  hand  to  my  efforts,  and  tell  them  that,  in 
my  conviction,  the  time  is  not  distant  when  they  will  reap  the  advan- 
tages of  that  generous  and  persevering  support;  that  the  little  that 
has  been  done  to  this  time  is  only  the  earnest  of  what  is  yet  to 
come.  As  for  the  private  individuals  who  have  seconded  my  labors, 
the  number  is  too  great  to  mention  them  here,  and  they  have  already 
found  in  their  conscience  and  patriotism  the  reward  of  their  acts. 

Yet  allow  me  to  mention  one  of  them.  I  consider  it  to  be  my  duty 
to  name  particularly,  in  order  to  express  to  him  my  sincerest  gratitude 
for  his  constant  and  unrelaxed  attention  to  our  interests.  I  refer  to 
Mr.  E.  Irving,  of  the  Sample  Office,  New  York.  This  gentleman, 
since  my  departure  from  America  to  the  present  time,  has  generously 


56         LIBEAEIANS '  CONVENTION  1853 

devoted  his  time,  energies,  and  labors  as  agent,  to  receive  and  trans- 
mit the  objects  exchanged  between  our  two  Continents,  without  receiv- 
ing the  slightest  compensation. 

I  would  feel  most  happy,  dear  sir,  if  the  Convention  of  American 
Librarians  should  consider  the  tables  here  annexed  worthy  of  their 
attention,  and  I  will  be  very  thankful  to  you,  if  you  will  be  kind 
enough  to  communicate  to  me  their  opinion.  Have  the  kindness  to 
say  to  these  learned  gentlemen,  how  happy  I  would  have  been  to  have 
found  myself  among  so  many  distinguished  savants,  many  of  whom 
have  shown  themselves  so  benevolent  to  me,  and  in  a  country  whose 
generous  and  fraternal  hospitality  I  shall  never  forget. 

Eemain  assured,  dear  sir,  of  the  sentiments  of  esteem  and  friend- 
ship of  your  devoted  friend,  ALEXANDEE  VATTEMARE. 
Mr.  C.  B.  Norton. 

List  of  establishments  which  have  participated  in  the 
benefits  of  the  system  of  exchanges: 


University  of  Heidelberg. 

BELGIUM 

All  the  Ministerial  Departments. 
King's  Library. 
Eoyal  Library. 
Koyal  Academy  of  Science. 
City  of  Brussels. 
City  of  Antwerp. 
City  of  Liege. 
Geographical  establishment  of  Brussels. 

THE  NETHERLANDS 

All  the  Ministerial  Departments. 

King's  Library. 

Royal  Library. 

Library  of  the  General  States. 

University  of  Leyden. 

Chamber  of  Commerce  of  Rotterdam. 

Chamber  of  Commerce  of  Amsterdam. 

FRANCE 

All  the  Ministerial  Departments. 
Chamber  of  Peers  (Senate). 


LIBBABIANS'  CONVENTION  1853         57 

Chamber  of  Deputies   (Legislative  Body). 

Post-office. 

Court  of  Cassation. 

Court  of  Accounts. 

Imperial  Academy  of  Science. 

Imperial  Academy  Moral  and  Political  Sciences. 

Imperial  Academy  of  Medicine. 

Imperial  Museum  of  Natural  History. 

School  of  Mines. 

School  of  Fonts  et  Chausses. 

Normal  School. 

Geographical  Society. 

Asiatic  Society. 

Agricultural  Society. 

Horticultural  Society. 

Geological  Society. 

Society  of  Encouragement. 

Imperial  Library. 

Library  of  the  Louvre. 

Library  of  the  Sorbonne. 

Private  Library  of  the  Emperor. 

Imperial  Printing  House. 

City  of  Paris. 

City  of  Bordeaux. 

City  of  Marseilles. 

City  of  Metz. 

City  of  Nantes. 

City  of  Havre. 

City  of  Kouen. 

RUSSIA 

Imperial  Academy. 
Imperial  Library. 
Imperial  Botanical  Garden. 

WUKTEMBERG 

University  of  Tubingen. 

UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA 

All  the  Departments  of  the  Federal  Government. 
The  Presidential  Eesidence. 
Library  of  Congress. 


58         LIBRARIANS'  CONVENTION  1853 

Patent  Office. 

Office  of  Topographical  Engineers. 

U.  S.  Military  Academy,  West  Point. 

U.  S.  Naval  Academy,  Annapolis. 

National  Observatory,  Washington. 

Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States. 

National  Institute. 

Military  Academy  of  South  Carolina. 

Academy  of  Science  and  Art,  Boston. 

National  Academy  of  Design  of  New  York. 

Institute  of  Albany  (N.  Y.). 

American  Institute  of  New  York. 

Mechanics'  Institute,  New  York. 

University  of  Georgetown   (D.  C.). 

University  of  Hanover  (N.  H.). 

University  Harvard   (Mass.). 

University  Maryland. 

College  of  Brunswick  (Me.). 

College  of  Waterville    (Me.). 

College  of  Burlington  (Vt.). 

College  of  New  Haven  (Ct.). 

College  of  Columbia  (N.  Y.). 

College  of  Geneva  (N.  Y.). 

College  of  Kutgers  (N.  J.). 

College  of  Annapolis  (Md.). 

College  of  Charlotteville  (Va.). 

College  of  Chapel  Hill  (N.  C.). 

College  of  Ann  Harbor   (Mich.). 

Brown  University,  Providence  (B.  I.). 

Union  College  (N.  Y.). 

Society  of  Natural  History  of  Portland  (Me.). 

Society  of  Natural  History  of  Boston. 

Society  of  Natural  History  of  St.  Louis  (Mo.). 

Mercantile  Library  of  Boston. 

Mercantile  Library  of  New  York. 

Mercantile  Library  of  Springfield. 

Agricultural  Society  of  Massachusetts. 

Agricultural  Society  of  Boston. 

Agricultural  Society  of  Wilmington  (Del.). 


LIBRARIANS'  CONVENTION  1853         59 

Apprentices  Library  of  South  Carolina. 

Historical  Society  of  Brunswick  (Me.). 

Historical  Society  of  Boston. 

Historical  Society  of  Worcester  (Mass.). 

Historical  Society  of  Hartford  (Ct.). 

Historical  Society  of  New  York. 

Historical  Society  of  Trenton  (N.  J.). 

Historical  Society  of  Baltimore. 

Historical  Society  of  Richmond  (Va.). 

Historical  Society  of  Savannah  (Ga.). 

Historical  Society  of  Upper  Alton  (111.). 

Historical  Society  of  St.  Louis  (Mo.). 

Historical  Society  of  Louisville  (Ky.). 

City  of  Washington  (D.  C.). 

City  of  Bangor  (Me.). 

City  of  Portland  (Me.). 

City  of  Boston. 

City  of  Lowell  (Mass.). 

City  of  New  York. 

City  of  Albany  (N.  Y.). 

City  of  Philadelphia  (Pa.). 

City  of  Baltimore  (Md.). 

City  of  Trenton  (N.  J.). 

City  of  Hartford   (Ct.). 

City  of  Burlington  (Vt.). 

City  of  Providence  (E.  I.). 

City  of  Eichmond  (Va.). 

City  of  Ealeigh  (N.  C.). 

City  of  Charleston   (S.  C.). 

City  of  New  Orleans  (La.). 

City  of  Savannah  (Ga.). 

City  of  Indianapolis  (la.). 

Chronological  table  of  official  acts,  documents,  etc.,  by 
which  several  Governments  have  accepted  the  principle  or 
regulated  the  application  of  the  system  of  exchange,  from 
1832  to  1853 : 

January     22,  1832.      Letter  from  M.  Lichsenthaler,  Director  of  the 
Eoyal  Library  of  Munich. 


60 


LIBRARIANS'  CONVENTION  1853 


December    6,  1833. 
January     27,  1834. 

January    27,  1834. 
August        1,  1836. 

March          6,  1836. 
March        26,  1836. 

December    5,  1837. 
May  5,  1838. 

February    2,  1839. 

February  17,  1840. 

March  26,  1840. 

May  7,  1840. 

July  17,  1840. 


February    6,  1841. 
March        14,  1841. 


Letter  from  Count  Maurice  Diedrichstein,  Di- 
rector of  the  Imperial  Museum  and  Library 
of  Vienna. 

Letter  from  Count  Charles  de  Bruhl,  superin- 
tendent general  of  the  Museum  at  Berlin,  in 
the  name  of  the  King. 

Letter  from  M.  Hahn,  in  the  name  of  the  King 
of  Denmark. 

Letter  from  Mr.  Alexander  Mordwinoff,  for 
General  Count  de  Benkendorff,  in  the  name 
of  the  Emperor  of  Eussia. 

My  first  petition  is  reported,  approved  and  re- 
ferred to  the  Minister  of  Public  Instruction 
by  the  Chamber  of  Deputies. 

Same  reception  by  the  Chamber  of  Peers, 
who  refer  it  to  the  Ministers  of  the  Interior 
and  Public  Instruction. 

Letter  from  Mr.  Glover,  librarian  to  the  Queen 
of  England,  in  the  name  of  her  majesty. 

The  British  Parliament  receives  favorably  my 
petition;  the  British  Museum  authorized  to 
open  intercourse  of  exchanges  with  foreign 
establishments. 

My  second  petition  reported,  approved  and  re- 
ferred by  the  two  French  Chambers,  to  the 
Minister  of  Public  Instruction  and  the 
President  of  the  Council  of  Ministers. 

Deliberation  of  the  Royal  Patriotic  Society  of 
Havana  adopting  the  system  of  exchange. 

Vote  of  $3,000,  for  international  exchanges, 
by  the  Senate  of  Louisiana. 

Senate  of  New  York  approves  the  system  of 
exchange. 

Bill  of  Congress,  authorizing  the  exchanges  of 
50  extra  copies  of  every  document  printed 
by  Congress,  to  be  printed  and  bound  for 
that  purpose. 

Sanction  of  the  Governor  General  of  Canada. 

Bill  of  the  Legislature  of  the  State  of  Maine, 
50  extra  copies  of  documents  are  to  be 


LIBRABIANS'  CONVENTION  1853         61 

printed  and  bound  for  international  ex- 
changes. 

April  9,  1842.      My   third   petition   is  reported,    approved    and 

referred,  by  the  Chamber  of  Deputies,  to 
the  Ministers  of  Foreign  Affairs,  Interior 
and  Public  Instruction. 

April  29,  1842.  Same  reception  by  the  Chamber  of  Peers,  as 
above,  and  referred  to  the  same  ministers. 

December  21,  1842.      Deliberation  of  the  Municipal  Council  of  Paris. 
1847.      Appropriation   of   3,000    fr.,   for   international 
exchanges,  voted  to  the  Department  of  Pub- 
lic Instruction. 

1847.  Appropriation  of  a  similar  sum  to  the  commit- 
tee on  the  library  of  the  Chambers  of 
Deputies. 

June          26,  1848.      Bill  of  Congress. 

June  30,  1848.  Another  bill  of  Congress  of  the  United  States, 
sanctioning  the  bill  of  1840,  and  granting 
an  appropriation  to  help  on  the  system. 

July  25,  1848.      Eesolutions  of  the  Committee  on  the  Library 

of  Congress,  in  relation  to  the  same. 

April  1850.      Presentation  of  several  objects  of  exchanges  to 

the  Chambers  of  Chili,  through  A.  Vatte- 
mare's  agency. 

April  1852.      Decision  from  the  Minister  of  the  Interior  of 

the  Netherlands,  appointing  A.  Vattemare 
agent  of  the  kingdom. 

May  1852.      Decision  of  the  Minister  of  Finance  of  Belgium. 

July  29,  1853.      Letter   from  his  Excellency,   Baron   de  Korff, 

member  of  the  Imperial  Privy  Council,  Di- 
rector of  the  Public  Library  of  St.  Peters- 
burg. 

July  15,  1853.      Letter  and  programme  from  the  central  com- 

mittee for  international  exchange,  appointed 
by  the  Minister  of  the  Interior. 

Seventeen  States  of  the  Union  have  adopted  similar  laws 
to  that  of  Congress,  viz. :  Maine,  March,  1841-44-48 ;  Mary- 
land, March,  1842;  Indiana,  January,  1844-48;  Michigan, 
March,  1844-48;  Massachusetts,  February,  1845-49-50; 


62 


LIBKABIANS'  CONVENTION  1853 


Rhode  Island,  January,  1846;  New  York,  October,  1847; 
Vermont,  November,  1847;  New  Jersey,  January,  1848; 
Pennsylvania,  August,  1848;  Virginia,  September,  1848; 
South  Carolina,  December,  1848 ;  New  Hampshire,  January, 
1849;  North  Carolina,  January,  1849;  Delaware,  March, 
1849 ;  Connecticut,  May,  1849 ;  Florida,  October,  1850,  and 
January,  1853. 

Table  of  the  operation  of  the  system  of  exchanges,  from 
1847  to  1851,  inclusive: 


Received  by 

Books  and 
Pamphlets 

Maps  and 
Plans 

Engrav- 
ings 

Medals 
and  Coins 

The  United  States  of  America 
France   

30,655 
25,092 

1,067 
1,318 

807 
220 

1,288 
565 

Foreign  Governments  

5,264 

711 

30 

Total  amounts   I  61,011  I     3,096  I     1,0271     1,883 

To  the  above  must  be  added,  as  received  and  distributed : 
From  France,  the  collection  of  weights  and  measures  of 
France,  173  prepared  birds,  several  cases  of  minerals,  fos- 
sils, and  seeds. 

From  the  United  States,  the  collection  of  weights  and 
measures  of  the  U.  S. ;  six  models  of  vessels  and  three  of 
dry  docks;  samples  of  the  manufactures  of  Lowell,  living 
animals,  prepared  birds,  minerals,  specimens  of  woods, 
seeds,  the  plaster  cast  of  the  head  of  a  mastodon,  fossils, 
a  large  specimen  of  oxydulated  iron  from  the  Iron  Moun- 
tains of  Missouri. 

PERMANENT  ORGANIZATION 

The  following  resolutions  were  presented  by  Mr.  GUILD, 
and  unanimously  adopted : 

Kesolved,  That  this  Convention  be  regarded  as  preliminary  to  the 
formation  of  a  permanent  Librarians'  Association. 

Eesolved,  That  a  Committee  of  five  be  appointed  to  draft  a  Consti- 


LIBBAEIANS'  CONVENTION  1853         63 

tution  and  By-Laws  for  such  an  Association,  and  present  them  at  the 
next  meeting  of  the  Convention. 

Besolved,  That  when  this  Convention  adjourn,  it  adjourn  to  meet  in 
Washington  City  at  such  a  time  as  the  said  Committee  of  five  may 
appoint. 

Eesolved,  That  this  Committee  be  requested,  with  reference  to  this 
adjourned  meeting,  to  suggest  topics  for  written  communications  or 
free  discussion,  and  also  to  make  such  other  arrangements  as  shall, 
in  their  judgment,  be  best  adapted  to  meet  the  wants  of  the  public, 
in  regard  to  the  whole  subject  of  Libraries  and  library  economy. 

In  accordance  with  these  resolutions,  the  following  gen- 
tlemen were  appointed  on  the  Committee  for  Permanent 
Organization:  Prof.  C.  C.  Jewett,  of  Washington;  Mr. 
Chas.  Folsom,  of  Boston ;  S.  Hastings  Grant,  of  New  York ; 
Elijah  Hayward,  of  Ohio,  and  R.  A.  Guild,  of  Providence. 

At  the  close  of  these  deliberations  the  Convention  ad- 
journed, to  meet  in  "Washington,  upon  the  call  of  the  above 
Committee. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

Los  Angeles 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


Form  L9-25m-9,'47(A5618)444 


^ 


408 


UC  SOUTHERN  RE 


A     000  788  563     5 


Z 

673 
L62p 


